Punekars get breather as mercury dips below normal, again

On Tuesday, Shivajinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2 degrees Celsius while Koregaon Park recorded 37.4 degrees Celsius

After touching highs of above 40 degrees Celsius, temperatures in Pune city once again fell below normal levels, bringing respite from the sweltering heat of the past few days.

After touching highs of above 40 degrees Celsius, temperatures in Pune city once again fell below normal levels, bringing respite from the sweltering heat (HT FILE PHOTO)

Since the beginning of May, Pune has witnessed ‘below normal’ maximum temperatures of 35 to 36 degrees Celsius. After the formation of Cyclone Mocha however, temperatures rose significantly not only in Pune but the whole of Maharashtra. So much so that Koregaon Park recorded a temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius while Shivajinagar recorded 41 degrees Celsius even as many districts in the state experienced heatwaves in the last five days. The main reason for this was cited as moisture absorption by the cyclone condition and a rise in humidity levels.

The cyclone made landfall in the coastal area of Myanmar on May 14 after which, moisture depletion over Maharashtra reduced and maximum temperatures started dipping in many parts of the state including Pune. On Tuesday, Shivajinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2 degrees Celsius while Koregaon Park recorded 37.4 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a statement that this year, the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala is likely to be slightly delayed. About the impact on the monsoon in Maharashtra, Dr Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather forecasting division, IMD Pune, said, “We are observing the activities in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, and the parameters important for monsoon progress. Only after the onset of the monsoon in Kerala will we be able to forecast the arrival of the monsoon in Maharashtra.”