E-Paper
Hailstorm, rain lash parts of Pune; IMD issues yellow alert till April 25
Traffic congestion was reported from multiple parts of the city, particularly Hinjewadi and the adjoining areas where water accumulated in potholes and uneven stretches of road slowed down vehicular movement.
Pune :
Unseasonal rain accompanied by hailstorms and thunder pounded parts of Pune Wednesday evening, bringing brief relief from the intense summer heat but also triggering traffic disruption in several areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the city and surrounding regions, warning of continued rainfall activity till April 25.
Rainfall activity began at around 5 pm, initially affecting the western parts of the city. Areas such as Kothrud and Talegaon Dabhade witnessed intense showers along with hail, while localities including Hinjewadi, Aundh and Sinhagad road experienced lighter showers. Despite the limited duration and intensity, the showers were enough to disrupt routine life.
Traffic congestion was reported from multiple parts of the city, particularly Hinjewadi and the adjoining areas where water accumulated in potholes and uneven stretches of road slowed down vehicular movement. Commuters faced delays as traffic crawled through waterlogged patches, raising concerns over road safety. A similar situation was reported in Kothrud, where accumulation of rainwater added to peak-hour traffic woes.
This sudden change in weather comes at a time when Pune has been reeling under peak summer conditions, with maximum temperatures hovering between 39°C and 40°C and touching 41°C in some parts of the district.
About the hailstorms, S D Sanap, senior meteorologist at IMD Pune, said that such events are typically triggered when a western disturbance trough shifts southward and coincides with high moisture levels in the atmosphere. He noted that hailstorms are usually localised phenomena and do not occur uniformly across large areas. According to him, the current weather pattern indicates that the disturbance has moved significantly southward, affecting not only Pune but also several other parts of Maharashtra. Sanap added that similar weather conditions are likely to persist over the next three days after which, rainfall activity is expected to gradually decline.
According to the latest weather bulletin of the IMD, multiple weather systems are currently influencing conditions over Maharashtra and adjoining regions. These include a fresh western disturbance in the middle tropospheric westerlies; a trough or wind discontinuity extending from Marathwada to the southern peninsula; and several upper air cyclonic circulations over different parts of the country, including northeast Assam, southwest Rajasthan and north Tamil Nadu. An anti-cyclonic circulation over interior Maharashtra also persists, contributing to the complex interplay of weather systems.
Beyond Pune, several districts in Maharashtra have reported similar weather activity. Earlier this week, Satara and Sangli witnessed intense rainfall, while Solapur experienced hailstorms on Wednesday. The unseasonal weather has raised concerns among farmers, as hail and sudden showers can damage standing crops and affect agricultural output.
The IMD has issued a rainfall alert for districts across central Maharashtra, Marathwada and parts of the Konkan region till April 25. At the same time, a heatwave warning remains in place for some districts in Vidarbha, highlighting the contrasting weather conditions across the state.
