PUNE: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for central Maharashtra and Konkan and Goa for July 7 and 8 which urges citizens to be ‘alert’ as heavy rains are on the cards. The weather department has also reported that rains are likely to intensify in Pune city from the evening on July 5.
All parts of Pune city reported rainfall on Monday. Till 5.30 pm on Monday, Shivajinagar reported 1.8 mm rainfall. Lohegaon 1.2 mm, Pashan 3.4 mm, Chinchwad 1 mm, Lavale 3.5 mm, and Magarpatta 5 mm, according to the IMD. However, Pune city still has a rain deficit of 127.8 mm.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather forecasting department, IMD Pune, said that rainfall activity is likely to intensify in Pune city and the adjacent ghat areas from the evening on July 5. “Light to moderate showers are anticipated in Pune city. And isolated ghat regions are likely to experience heavy rainfall from July 5 to July 8. Generally, cloudy skies will be seen in Pune city from July 5 onwards,” he said. Kashyapi added that the four sub-divisions of Maharashtra are also likely to see increased rainfall activity in the next few days.
“The monsoon trough is active and south of its normal position. There are strong westerly winds along the west coast in the lower tropospheric levels. A low pressure area lies over north Odisha and adjoining south Jharkhand and gangetic West Bengal. Due to this, localised flooding of roads, waterlogging and traffic disruption are likely,” he said. Kashyapi added that isolated heavy rainfall is likely till July 8 over Konkan and Goa. “Central Maharashtra may report isolated heavy rainfall from July 6 to 8. Vidarbha may report isolated heavy rainfall till July 8,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The monsoon trough is active and south of its normal position. There are strong westerly winds along the west coast in the lower tropospheric levels. A low pressure area lies over north Odisha and adjoining south Jharkhand and gangetic West Bengal. Due to this, localised flooding of roads, waterlogging and traffic disruption are likely,” he said. Kashyapi added that isolated heavy rainfall is likely till July 8 over Konkan and Goa. “Central Maharashtra may report isolated heavy rainfall from July 6 to 8. Vidarbha may report isolated heavy rainfall till July 8,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}With good rainfall on the cards for Maharashtra, it will be a huge respite for the state which has seen an almost dry June leading to a rainfall deficit of 30% by June 30. From June 1 to July 4, Maharashtra has now reported 23% rainfall deficiency. For Vidarbha, the rainfall deficiency is 41% from June 1 till July 4. During the same time, central Maharashtra reported a 39% deficit and Konkan and Goa reported a 29% deficit.