Mercury Hits 40°C+ Across Pune; IMD Flags Unusually Warm Nights
Pune, 10th April 2025: The city is reeling under an intense heatwave as both daytime and nighttime temperatures continue to rise sharply, offering little respite to residents even after sunset.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune’s Lohegaon area remained the hottest on Wednesday, recording a maximum of 42.2°C, marginally down from 42.7°C the previous day. Other parts of the city also experienced searing heat, with Shivajinagar hitting 40.7°C, while Pashan and Chinchwad recorded 40.3°C. In Koregaon Park, the temperature touched 40.8°C, keeping the mercury well above the seasonal average.
But it’s not just the daytime that’s causing discomfort. Warm night temperatures are making conditions even worse for Puneites.
Shivajinagar saw a minimum of 24.6°C, which is 5.5°C above normal, while Lohegaon remained warmer at 26°C, a staggering 6.9°C above the expected range. In response, the IMD has issued a yellow alert warning for the city.
“These elevated night temperatures don’t allow the body to cool naturally,” said a senior IMD official. “It increases the risk of heat-related illnesses such as dehydration and heatstroke. We especially urge the elderly and young children to stay cautious during this period.”
The IMD has predicted partly cloudy conditions in the evenings between April 11 and 13, but officials warn that this will not significantly impact the high daytime temperatures. “We might see a drop of one or two degrees, but the heat will remain above normal,” said Sanjeev Sanap, an IMD meteorologist.
Explaining the spike in minimum temperatures, another official noted, “The continuous high heat over the past three days has prevented the land and atmosphere from cooling down. While minor fluctuations in day temperatures could help ease nighttime conditions slightly, we expect nights to remain warmer than usual in the coming days.”
Meanwhile, other regions of Maharashtra are also facing extreme heat. In Vidarbha, Akola led the charts with a scorching 43.7°C, about 3.5°C above normal. In North Maharashtra, Dhule recorded the highest temperature in the state at 43.8°C, with minimum temperatures rising sharply from 18.8°C to 24.2°C in just two days.
Cities like Jalgaon (43.7°C), Malegaon (43.2°C), and Nashik (41.3°C) also witnessed temperatures well beyond the usual seasonal thresholds. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar saw its hottest day this season at 42.5°C, nearly 4.5°C above normal.
Health officials are advising citizens to limit outdoor activity during peak hours, stay hydrated, and wear light cotton clothing. With no immediate relief in sight, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra appear to be in the grip of one of the harshest starts to summer in recent years.
