Pune: No Respite from Heat Likely Till May 2 as Temperatures Hover Around 40°C
Pune: The city continues to reel under intense heat, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting high day temperatures ranging from 39°C to 43°C until May 2. Residents should brace for little to no relief from the scorching conditions during this period.
On Sunday, Pune’s Lohegaon emerged as the hottest location in Maharashtra, recording a maximum temperature of 42.8°C—4.1°C above normal. The Shivajinagar observatory noted 40.6°C, which was 1.9°C above normal, while Pashan saw a spike to 40.5°C after a brief drop. Other areas such as Lavale and Magarpatta registered 38.1°C and 39.8°C respectively.
According to IMD scientist S.D. Sanap, cloudy skies are expected during the afternoons between April 30 and May 2 due to moisture incursion caused by a trough line over the state. However, these clouds are unlikely to bring relief from daytime heat. “Some respite from the scorching heat will be there in the evening hours,” Sanap said.
For the past two weeks, temperatures in Lohegaon and other parts of Pune have consistently stayed above 40°C. The morning hours have become particularly harsh, leading to a rise in heat-related health issues such as dehydration, giddiness, kidney stones, heat exhaustion, and gastroenteritis. IMD has urged citizens to take precautions while outdoors.
Elsewhere in Maharashtra, Marathwada also endured extreme heat, with all four weather stations reporting temperatures above 40°C. Parbhani led with 42.4°C, which was 0.6°C above normal. In contrast, Vidarbha saw a slight decline in maximum temperatures at nine stations, with a temperature drop ranging from 0.2°C to 4.5°C. Only five stations in Vidarbha remained above 40°C, with Akola being the hottest at 42.4°C.
