Pune receives record rainfall for January in 73 years

Since the beginning of the year, parts of western Maharashtra, including Pune, had experienced sultry and overcast weather conditions, which are unusual for the ongoing winter season.

In addition, Friday remained dominated by cloudy skies which later gave way to moderate rains. Within three hours in the afternoon, the Lohegaon station recorded 25 mm, while Shivajinagar station received 32.5 mm rain (8.30 am to 8.30 pm).

The cloudy weather is predominantly due to active easterly winds leading to an upsurge in the moisture content over the region, resulting in thunderstorm and rainfall over western Maharashtra, more so, over Pune, Nashik and Satara districts.

“There is a trough located off Gujarat coast and north Karnataka. Due to the moisture in the atmosphere and the easterlies, there will be rainfall of light to moderate intensity till Sunday,” said Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather forecasting division, at IMD, Pune.

Mahabaleshwar, too, recorded moderate rainfall during the day and till 5.30pm on Friday, the hill station had received 27mm rain.

Winter chill is expected to return to the state only next week once the current weather system moves away, IMD officials said.

In the coming days, weather is most likely to improve. “The rainfall will reduce substantially from January 10. Once again, clear sky conditions would return and there are chances of cold conditions returning thereafter,” Kashyapi said.

The IMD’s Extended Range Predictions, issued on January 7, suggests that Maharashtra’s minimum temperatures would show a downward trend from January 14.

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