Pune: Humidity Spike Makes Heat Unbearable Despite Lower Temperatures; Yellow Alert Issued for Thunderstorms
After a brief spell of pleasant weather and cool breeze, Puneites are now grappling with extreme discomfort due to a sudden surge in humidity levels. Over the last two days, the oppressive humidity has made the heat feel unbearable, even though actual temperatures are not unusually high.
On Sunday, Pune recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2°C, while Lohegaon touched 38.6°C. Despite these moderate readings, the heightened humidity has significantly increased the discomfort index across the city.
Renowned weather scientist Anupam Kashyapi has warned that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely to continue in isolated areas across Maharashtra, including Pune, over the next 4–5 days. He added that moderately high daytime temperatures combined with moisture in the atmosphere are causing thundercloud formation, leading to rain and lightning in the afternoon and evening hours.
“Lightning is dangerous. Be safe,” cautioned Kashyapi, emphasizing the importance of staying alert during this period.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has placed Pune under a Yellow Alert for the next three days, predicting:
- Thunderstorms with lightning
- Light to moderate rainfall
- Gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph
These weather conditions are expected to occur at isolated places in and around Pune.
Monsoon Update:
The IMD, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has forecasted that the southwest monsoon is likely to onset over Kerala by May 27, 2025, with a model error margin of ±4 days. This signals the approaching end of the hot and dry summer phase. Based on this forecast, the monsoon is expected to reach Pune by the late first week or second week of June, bringing much-needed relief to residents.
