Light rain, cloudy sky in Pune bring respite from heat

Cloudy and overcast sky conditions have been prevailing particularly over Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra regions for the past two days under the influence of the depression, which Thursday weakened into a low pressure system adjoining the Karnataka coast.

Light rain over Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad on Thursday brought respite from the fortnight-long heat spell. The maximum temperature in Pune plunged by at least 5 degrees Celsius, to 31.7 degrees Celsius Thursday. Reports of a good spell also came in from Talegaon and Lonavala as Pune residents welcomed the first spell of pre-monsoon season. Many were unexpectedly caught in the rain a little after noon Thursday.

So far, the maximum temperature in March has been largely above normal, even touching 37 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. This has been true in Madhya Maharashtra and Konkan, as well, where summers have been harsher since the start of the season.

Cloudy and overcast sky conditions have been prevailing particularly over Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra regions for the past two days under the influence of the depression, which Thursday weakened into a low pressure system adjoining the Karnataka coast. “This system has brought in moisture along with it, as a result some regions in Maharashtra experienced rainfall Wednesday and more Thursday. The activity will last till Friday as the system is expected to dissipate by then,” said a senior official at India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune.

On the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, several areas in Konkan and neighbouring Goa recorded rainfall of approximately 30 mm. Similarly, isolated rainfall was even reported in Mahabaleshwar on Thursday. The pre-monsoon season falls in April and May, when extreme heat sometimes results in thunderstorm and lightning.

According to the Met, the day temperature is likely to fall by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius over the Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra. Nashik Thursday recorded 33.3 degrees Celsius, 2 degrees below the normal mark. “Isolated rainfall is expected to continue till Sunday over Maharashtra, though the activity is expected mostly in western regions of the state,” the Met added. Though the system brought some respite from heat to Maharashtra , it brought widespread rains over Karnataka, coastal Kerala and Lakshadweep regions over the last two days.

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