Pune reports normal rainfall in August
Despite the humidity, the city is witnessing an almost winter-like atmosphere; a phenomenon that meteorologists attribute primarily to the persistence of cloud cover blanketing the skies for several days.
PUNE: That the city recorded 134.7 mm of rainfall in August – a figure which places it in the ‘normal’ category though still marginally below the long-term average of 145.5 mm for the month with a deficit of 7.42% - is unremarkable in itself except for the unusual chill in the air that Punekars have been witnessing this monsoon. Despite the humidity, the city is witnessing an almost winter-like atmosphere; a phenomenon that meteorologists attribute primarily to the persistence of cloud cover blanketing the skies for several days.
About the cooler-than-expected weather in Pune city, S D Sanap, senior meteorologist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Pune, noted that the absence of sunshine due to continuous clouding has kept the city’s maximum temperature suppressed, giving residents a sense of winter in the middle of the monsoon. Anupam Kashyapi, former head of the weather and forecasting division at IMD Pune, said that while the recorded maximum and minimum temperatures remain technically within the normal range, the slim difference between the two has enhanced the perception of a chill. Kashyapi further pointed out that steady winds blowing at speeds of 20 to 25 km per hour have intensified this cool sensation, even in the presence of high humidity.
Like Pune city, Pune district, too, has received slightly reduced rainfall at 248.4 mm compared to the normal 267.8 mm. Certain pockets however continue to record extraordinary amounts of rain. Tamhini, a hotspot for heavy showers, maintained its status as the wettest location in the country, receiving an astonishing 8,106 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 31. To put this into perspective, even the famed Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, often synonymous with torrential rain, recorded only 3,879 mm during the same period—an unusually low figure by its own standards. Interestingly, local stations such as Lonavala and Bhira in Pune district surpassed Cherrapunji this season, with Lonavala recording 4,355 mm and Bhira 4,944 mm so far.
The IMD, in its weather bulletin issued on Sunday, August 31, reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level is running south of its normal position. An upper air cyclonic circulation is currently lying over the central parts of Rajasthan in the lower tropospheric levels, while another circulation is prevailing over northwest Madhya Pradesh and its adjoining areas in the lower levels. A western disturbance, in the form of a cyclonic circulation, is positioned over north Pakistan and adjoining Punjab in the lower and middle tropospheric levels. Similarly, an upper air cyclonic circulation has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal off the West Bengal-Odisha coasts in the lower and middle tropospheric levels. The bulletin further highlighted that a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal around September 2, 2025.
{{/usCountry}}The IMD, in its weather bulletin issued on Sunday, August 31, reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level is running south of its normal position. An upper air cyclonic circulation is currently lying over the central parts of Rajasthan in the lower tropospheric levels, while another circulation is prevailing over northwest Madhya Pradesh and its adjoining areas in the lower levels. A western disturbance, in the form of a cyclonic circulation, is positioned over north Pakistan and adjoining Punjab in the lower and middle tropospheric levels. Similarly, an upper air cyclonic circulation has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal off the West Bengal-Odisha coasts in the lower and middle tropospheric levels. The bulletin further highlighted that a fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal around September 2, 2025.
{{/usCountry}}Under the combined influence of these systems, rainfall activity in Maharashtra is expected to increase. According to the colour-coded forecast map issued by the IMD, the coastal districts of Maharashtra along with some parts of Vidarbha and Marathwada are likely to witness light to moderate rainfall on September 1 for which, a yellow alert has been issued. From September 2 onwards, rainfall is likely to intensify across most parts of the state, leading to the yellow alert being extended to the entire Vidarbha and Marathwada regions as well as certain pockets of Konkan. The ghat areas of Pune, Satara, and Kolhapur have been placed under an orange alert owing to the forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall. On September 3 and 4, the orange alert will continue for these ghat regions and coastal districts, while the remaining parts of Maharashtra, except for some areas in the southern belt, will remain under a yellow alert for light to moderate rainfall.
Despite the overall intensification of monsoon activity, Pune city itself may not receive significant rainfall on Ganesh visarjan day. Kashyapi has indicated that though the ghat areas of Pune district are under an orange alert for moderate to heavy showers beginning September 3, the city is unlikely to experience substantial rainfall on immersion day. He further noted that with at least five days still to go, the forecast may evolve and a clearer picture of the weather conditions will emerge only about 48 hours before visarjan.
