Pune: Mercury dips, IMD withdraws heatwave alert

PUNE: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) withdrew the heatwave warning for Pune on Thursday after city’s temperature dipped marginally to 39.8°C in Shivajinagar and 40.7°C in Lohegaon.
A day earlier on Wednesday, the maximum temperatures were 39.9°C and 40.8°C at Shivajinagar and Lohegaon, respectively.
Initially, IMD had predicted a heatwave situation in Pune until May 24 but a recent change in weather conditions caused a marginal drop in maximum temperatures, leading to the withdrawal of the warning.
However, although Pune may not be facing a heatwave warning for the time being, day temperatures will continue to be high at 40 degrees C till May 26, an IMD forecast said on Thursday. After May 26, day temperature in Shivajinagar is likely to be around 39°C.
Despite the drop in maximum temperature, citizens continued to feel the heat on Thursday because the humidity levels remained higher than the last few days but lower than normal. The city’s real feel temperature on Thursday was an uncomfortable 42°C, though the actual temperature was 39.8°C.
On Thursday morning, Lohegaon, Shivajinagar and Pashan recorded 41% humidity, which was lower than normal by 22%. A few days ago on May 19, humidity was still lower at these locations at 28%, 33% and 38% respectively. The increase in humidity has pushed up that uncomfortable feeling for residents.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather at IMD Pune, said, “Even though moisture has increased partially, it has not been enough to cause a significant dip in maximum temperature. Little moisture is also coming from Gujarat via the westerly winds. These winds are becoming northerly upon entering our state. Also, the regions of Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh and Telangana are dragging in some moisture from the south as they are currently very hot. A feeble trough line (extended low pressure area) from east Madhya Pradesh to north coastal Karnataka via Vidarbha, Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra is also dragging in some moisture.”
All these factors have caused the humidity in Pune to rise marginally, Kashyapi explained.
Meanwhile, other regions of the state and country continued to reel under the heatwave. A meteorological department forecast said that heatwave conditions were likely in isolated to some pockets over Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu during the next 48 hours and in isolated pockets over Vidarbha (severe heatwave for next 24 hours), Telangana, Rayalaseema, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha during the next three to four days.