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Pune records second coolest May in the last five years: IMD
Pune is experiencing the second-coolest May in the last five years, with only nine days seeing above-normal temperatures. The IMD has issued a rainfall alert for Vidarbha in the next 48 hours. Some parts of the city are acting as heat islands.
PUNE: The city is experiencing the second-coolest May in the last five years, according to data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Of the 21 days of May this year, around 11 days have seen below-normal temperatures whereas only nine days have seen above-normal temperatures.
As per the standards, 37 degrees Celsius is considered the normal limit for maximum temperature whereas 22 degrees Celsius is considered the normal limit for minimum temperature in May. According to IMD data, only nine out of the 21 days of May logged above-normal maximum temperatures of between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius. At 41 degrees Celsius, Shivajinagar recorded the highest temperature on May 11. At 33.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest temperature was recorded on May 2.
The data points to a decreasing trend in the number of warm days in May over the last three years. While May 2020 saw a total 24 warm days, May 2021 saw just five warm days, May 2022 16 warm days, and May 2023 has so far seen only nine days with above-normal temperatures. Prior to 2020, there were more than 20 warm days in May of any year on an average. However, that has changed in the past three years.
While the said data is for the last 10 years, the IMD in its monthly forecast had predicted below-normal temperatures, especially in central India including parts of Maharashtra. The IMD had said that there was no strong weather system activated over the state but due to moisture depletion during the formation of Cyclone Mocha, the state would experience significant rise in temperatures which would then fall gradually.
Meanwhile, Pune city on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 22.8 degrees Celsius at Shivajinagar. The IMD also noted an increase in relative humidity in the atmosphere, especially at night. Some parts of the city, especially those in the rain shadow region, are found acting as heat islands.
The IMD has issued a rainfall alert for Vidarbha in the next 48 hours. According to the department, a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from May 23 under the influence of which, fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorms/lightning/gusty winds over Vidarbha is expected.
* Some parts of the city act as heat islands
The weather scientists have observed that some parts of the city especially those in the rain shadow area or areas with less vegetation is acting as heat island in the city. At those places, the temperature is always recorded higher as these places are Incapable of observing the atmospheric heat, said Dr. Suryachnadra Rao, Scientist, at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
