Pune sizzled as Lohegaon hit 42.4°C, the season’s peak (Representative image)
PUNE: Lohegaon at 42.4°C and Shivajinagar at 40.9°C logged the hottest day of this summer on Saturday, but there may be slight respite from the long spell of scorcher next week.Lohegaon recoreded 40°C-plus temperature for 15 days on the trot till Saturday.
Shivajinagar, on the other hand, had four 40°C-plus days in a fortnight starting from April 11. Residents stepping out of home on Saturday afternoon were exhausted amid extreme heat and severe discomfort levels. “Warm winds blew through the afternoon,” said a motorcyclist on FC Road.India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated a gradual fall in maximum temperatures by around 2-4°C between April 26 and May 1.
S D Sanap, scientist at IMD Pune, said the drop would not be abrupt but phased.“A gradual reduction in temperatures is expected over the coming days, with a fall of around 2 to 4 degrees. This will not be a sudden dip but a slow decline over five to seven days,” he said.Explaining the reason, Sanap said the prevailing anticyclonic circulation was weakening and northerly winds were expected to dominate in the coming days.
“This change in wind pattern will contribute to the slight fall in maximum temperatures. But since temperatures have risen significantly, conditions will remain warm,” he said.The expected relief in Maharashtra is linked to broader changes in weather patterns over north India. Delhi has been witnessing heat wave conditions for the past three days, but these are likely to abate soon.According to the IMD, heat wave conditions are likely to continue in Delhi till Sunday.
Thereafter, under the influence of lower tropospheric easterly winds, maximum temperatures are likely to fall, leading to abatement of heat wave conditions over the region from April 28.Meteorologists said the same evolving wind systems influencing north India were expected to extend their impact southwards, including parts of Maharashtra, contributing to the anticipated dip in temperatures.The IMD has indicated a possibility of light rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of south Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada over the next couple of days although no warning has been issued for Pune. Officials said moisture availability and favourable local conditions might trigger isolated, short-duration weather activity, but widespread rainfall was unlikely.Experts cautioned that daytime temperatures would remain above normal in the city despite the expected marginal dip. Heat stress conditions may persist over the coming days, too.
