Red Alert for Very Heavy Rain in Pune Ghats as IMD Issues Weather Warnings Across Many Maharashtra Districts
Bracing for an intense wet spell, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued high-level weather alerts for July 22 across Maharashtra as monsoon activity intensifies over the region.
The ghat areas of Pune district stand out as the only region in the entire state placed under a Red Alert, with meteorologists warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy downpours in isolated pockets. In contrast, Pune city remains on a Yellow Alert, expecting light to moderate showers with occasional heavy spells in localized areas.
The entire Konkan belt is under an Orange Alert, where heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to be accompanied by strong, gusty winds reaching speeds of 50 to 60 km/h. Coastal centers, including Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad, are on high alert for rough seas and localized waterlogging, though Mumbai city proper fluctuates between Yellow and Orange warnings depending on local cloud organization over the next 48 hours.
Elsewhere in the state, the ghat regions of Nashik, Satara, and Kolhapur are under Orange to Yellow alerts, while the entire Vidarbha region has been marked Yellow, anticipating widespread moderate to heavy showers with strong winds and thunderstorms.
According to former IMD senior official Anupam Kashyapi, the sudden surge in rain activity is driven by an Upper Air Cyclonic (UAC) circulation over the West-Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. This system has significantly strengthened the westerly winds blowing in from the Arabian Sea directly over the Western Ghats.
“The intense spell is expected to persist for the next 48 hours, after which rainfall intensity is likely to decrease marginally across the state,” Kashyapi noted.
Authorities have advised residents in ghat sections, low-lying coastal areas, and near riverbanks to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel in hazardous terrain, and stay updated on local civic advisories.
Vineet Gupta is the Founder and Managing Editor of PuneNow, where he oversees local news delivery and explores mindful living, parenting, and personal growth. An alumnus of the University of Wales, Vineet has travelled extensively and worked across hospitality, finance, and academia. Now based in Pune, his diverse global background informs his hyper-local perspective, helping the community find meaning, balance, and connection in everyday life.
