Pune’s weather is turning warmer and drier, with the maximum temperature in Shivajinagar reaching 34.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 3.5 degrees above normal for the station, as the India Meteorological Department forecast no significant rain in the city and its suburbs until at least October 9.
The highest maximum temperature in Pune was recorded at Lohegaon, where the mercury touched 35.4 degrees Celsius, or 4.1 degrees above normal. Chinchwad and Wadgaonsheri recorded daytime temperatures of around 34.7 degrees Celsius, while Hadapsar, the National Defence Academy, Pashan and Magarpatta recorded slightly lower maximum temperatures of about 33.5 degrees Celsius, according to the IMD data reported by The Indian Express.
The rise comes alongside a wider warming trend across Maharashtra. Malegaon recorded the state’s highest maximum temperature on Saturday at 38.4 degrees Celsius, which was 5.9 degrees above normal. The IMD has said maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal across most parts of the country in October, apart from some areas of northeast India and isolated pockets of central and northwest India where normal maximum temperatures are expected.
Rainfall remained absent across most of Pune over the 24 hours ending on Saturday morning. The city recorded nil rainfall, while Talegaon received 21 millimetres. The IMD has forecast mainly clear skies in Pune and its suburbs during the next few days, although cloud cover could increase as the day progresses.
The weather office has also forecast that the maximum temperature could rise to 36 degrees Celsius at several weather stations across Pune, including Shivajinagar, Pashan, Lohegaon, Chinchwad, Magarpatta and Koregaon Park. The forecast period extends to October 9, during which the city is not expected to receive rain, according to the report.
Morning temperatures have remained closer to normal in most parts of Maharashtra, although local variation is already visible across Pune. Shivajinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 21.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, 0.5 degrees above normal, while Lohegaon recorded 21.9 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees above normal. Magarpatta and Chinchwad were warmer, recording minimum temperatures of 25.3 degrees Celsius and 23.8 degrees Celsius respectively.
The IMD said Pune is likely to experience mornings of around 20 degrees Celsius over the next few days. Magarpatta and Chinchwad could record minimum temperatures of about 24 degrees Celsius on some days until October 9. Across the state, Jalgaon recorded the lowest minimum temperature on Saturday at 17.2 degrees Celsius, which was 4.1 degrees below normal.
For Pune residents, the immediate change is the combination of higher daytime temperatures and limited rainfall, with conditions expected to persist through the forecast period. The next formal weather milestone is the IMD’s assessment of rain and temperature conditions through October 9.