Pune: Lohegaon Sizzles at 42.2°C, Koregaon Park Records 41.1°C as Heatwave Grips Maharashtra

Pune is reeling under an intense heatwave, with Lohegaon recording a scorching 42.2 degrees Celsius — the highest temperature in the city so far this summer. Koregaon Park followed closely at 41.1 degrees Celsius on Monday, April 7.

As many as eight locations in Pune district — Lohegaon, Koregaon Park, Pashan, Shivajinagar, Hadapsar, Dhamdhere, Rajguru Nagar, and Shirur — recorded temperatures at or above 40 degrees Celsius. The Shivajinagar observatory, which serves as the official weather station for Pune, recorded 40.2 degrees Celsius, marking it as the hottest day of the season.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Pune will continue to face above-normal temperatures along with dry weather conditions for the next two to three days. This is due to the absence of any strong weather system over Maharashtra during this period.

Not just Pune, but several regions across Maharashtra, including Central Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha, are grappling with extreme heat. On April 7, Akola in Vidarbha registered the highest temperature in the state at a blistering 44.2 degrees Celsius. It was followed by Brahmapuri at 43.8 degrees Celsius, and both Chandrapur and Amravati at 43.6 degrees Celsius.

In Central Maharashtra, apart from Pune, other locations like Lohegaon, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Malegaon, Nashik, and Solapur also witnessed maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or more.

Speaking about the weather conditions, S D Sanap, senior meteorologist from IMD Pune, told medipersons, “Dry weather conditions across the state have led to a rise in maximum temperatures. Some regions, especially in Konkan and North Maharashtra, are likely to experience heatwave conditions in the next 48 hours, for which a yellow alert has been issued.”

For Pune, the IMD has forecast higher temperatures on April 8 and 9, with a possibility of partly cloudy weather on April 9 and 10. A heatwave alert has been sounded for parts of the state, and areas in Pune are expected to continue witnessing temperatures at or above 40 degrees Celsius over the next 48 hours. The IMD has also issued a safety advisory for residents.

Meanwhile, isolated rainfall with thunder and lightning is likely in some parts of Southern Maharashtra, including certain areas of Pune, on April 9 and 10.