Pune: City Sizzles at 40.2°C as Heatwave Grips Maharashtra, Gujarat; Relief Forecasted
Pune endured its hottest day of the season on Wednesday, 13th March 2025, with temperatures hitting 40.2°C in Lohgaon and Koregaon Park, while Rajgurunagar, Shirur, and Dhamdhere also breached the 40°C mark. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has escalated warnings as a severe heatwave grips Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and other regions.
Gujarat remains on red alert with a “very high likelihood of heatstroke,” while Konkan and Vidarbha (Maharashtra) and southwest Rajasthan are under orange alerts. Yellow alerts cover Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal. IMD scientist S.D. Sanap linked the crisis to a high-pressure system over Gujarat, causing air subsidence (sinking air that heats up) and blocking cloud formation, trapping surface heat.
Record Temperatures
- Maharashtra:
- Akola: 41.3°C (+4.6°C above normal)
- Chandrapur: 40.6°C (+3.4°C)
- Nagpur (Sonegaon): 40.2°C (+4.6°C)
- Malegaon, Wardha, Yavatmal: 40°C
- Gujarat:
- Rajkot: 42.1°C (+6.7°C)
- Amreli, Surendranagar, Kandla: 41°C (deviations up to +7.1°C)
- Porbandar: 40.8°C (+7.6°C)
IMD urged vulnerable groups—infants, elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—to avoid sun exposure, stay hydrated, and use oral rehydration solutions. Gujarat’s red alert demands “extreme caution” for all age groups, while orange/yellow zones face risks for sensitive populations.
Sanap noted clear skies and low humidity worsened conditions but hinted at temperature drops from Thursday due to shifting weather patterns.
