Pune Likely to Receive Excess Rainfall as Monsoon Nears End, IMD Forecasts Light Showers During Ganesh Festival

Pune is poised to receive excess rainfall as the monsoon enters its final phase, having already exceeded its seasonal quota. As of September 4, the city recorded 929.3 mm of rainfall, surpassing the average 638.2 mm it typically receives during the June-September monsoon season. This means any additional precipitation will be counted as surplus, contributing to a wet conclusion to the season.

According to S.D. Sanap, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune has already met its rainfall quota and will now conclude the season with excess rain. The surplus rainfall is a positive shift from last year, when the city faced a significant deficit due to a weak monsoon.

Pune likely to get excess rainfall in last leg of monsoonhttps://t.co/5bfCwQLRNO pic.twitter.com/NuYvgqQFwX

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In the immediate future, light to moderate rainfall is forecasted for Pune and its surrounding areas over the next four to five days. This comes as the city prepares for the 10-day Ganesh festival, during which only very light rainfall is expected, ensuring minimal disruption to celebrations.

The abundance of rain has filled most of the dams supplying water to Pune. Ujjani Dam, at the tail end of the Bhima River basin, is at full capacity. The additional rainfall could lead to more water being released into the riverbed. Furthermore, increased soil moisture from the rains will likely benefit the upcoming rabi crop season.

However, this year’s monsoon has also brought extreme weather events, including periods of heavy rainfall that triggered floods in July, causing widespread damage. Climate experts have long warned that climate change will result in more frequent and intense weather events, including heavy rainfall in shorter periods, as seen in Pune.

One noteworthy aspect of this year’s monsoon is the reduced number of rainy days. Pune’s Shivajinagar observatory recorded 44 rainy days during the 90-day period from June, a decrease compared to previous years. Despite fewer rainy days, rainfall intensity has spiked on several occasions, leading to incidents of severe flooding.

As the monsoon season wraps up, regions surrounding Pune, particularly the ghats of Pune and Satara, are expected to experience heavy rainfall from September 7 to 9, with an orange alert in place for these areas.