Pune: Hot run-up to summer as real-feel hits 35°C

PUNE: Day temperatures have touched the season’s highest in the city and are likely to reach another high soon with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting the temperature to rise to 35o C in the next few days.

On Monday, the day temperatures in Shivajinagar and Lohegaon were a warm 33.7o C and 34.1o C, respectively.

These were the highest day temperatures in the 2019-2020 winter for Pune city.

It’s already feeling like summer, with the sunny afternoons pushing up the city’s “real feel” temperature to 35-plus degrees C, around one to two notches higher than the actual. With the night temperatures remaining high, the heat load over Pune has gone up significantly.

This is a stark contrast to what was witnessed during the same period last year. On February 17 in 2019, the city’s night temperature was 10.8o C. On Monday, it was a warm 16.1o C in Shivajinagar.

A senior IMD scientist told TOI that summer-like conditions have already started prevailing in the city and parts of the state. “Slight chill is present in seven to eight districts in the state — in parts of Vidarbha and north Marathwada , north Madhya Maharashtra. But the chill factor seems to have left Konkan and almost 70% of north to central and south Madhya Maharashtra , including Pune,” he said.

“The minimum temperatures are likely to rise further in the city during the next 5-7 days. The day temperatures may touch a warm 34-35o C during the next few days,” the official said.

The city is currently experiencing warm afternoons and nights. “Though there is a slight chance of partial northerly wind component entering north Maharashtra on February 18-19, the flow is likely to be countered by the southeasterly/southerly winds,” he said.

The northerly winds are cooler winds originating from north India, while the southeasterly/southerly winds come from the southeast and southern regions, respectively, and are relatively warmer.

“Though some northerly wind component will be trickling in from one side, the southeasterly/southerly winds will be penetrating parts of the state from the other side, resulting in their interaction. The presence of the northerly winds may not make much difference in night temperatures, which are expected to stay high in Pune district and Konkan during that time,” the scientist said.

The current day temperatures are a stark contrast from what the readings showed a few days ago, when below-30 degrees C temperatures were being witnessed in Pune. On February 9, the day temperature in Shivajinagar was a pleasant 27.4 degrees C. In Lohegaon the same day, it was 28.2o C, below normal by 3.8o C in both the locations.