Pune lies low as heat packs a ‘mean’ punch

The average maximum temperature in the city in the last 100 years has been 37 degrees Celsius. There has been an increase in the night temperature too.

The end of April saw sporadic rains in one or two areas of the city, with some parts experiencing thundershowers too, but it failed to bring down the temperature. The sporadic nature of the rains, coupled by its highly local occurrence is the reason for this, according to the officials. The average rain the city receives in April is 13.2 mm, but there was little rain this year.

Predictions by the IMD say the maximum temperature is going to rise in the next 48 hours, hovering between 38 and 40 degrees till Wednesday, after which there might be some respite as rain and thundershowers are expected to lash the city.

The heat has clearly hit the residents hard what with many now moving out of their houses only in the evenings.

Old timers say they have not experienced this kind of heat conditions ever in the past. “I don’t remember such unbearable heat conditions existed in the city in the past. It is indeed very difficult to venture out even at 9 am,” says 70-year-old P Garsund, a resident of Khadki.

“In the past, I remember we used to play cricket in April and May. These days, the conditions are so hot that you just cannot imagine going out and play cricket,” says Rohidas Rithe, a resident of Bhopkel.

(with inputs from Manoj More)