IMD Issues Red Alert for Pune as Heavy to Extremely Heavy Rain Looms
Pune, 31st July 2026: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Pune district, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next two to four days. The alert comes as the ghat regions around Pune have been receiving intense rainfall for the past two days, prompting authorities to urge residents and tourists to remain vigilant.
According to the IMD, the ghat sections of Pune and Nashik districts are likely to witness extremely heavy, cloudburst-like rainfall over the next 48 hours.
Amid rising inflows into reservoirs, water is currently being released from Khadakwasla dam at around 16,246 cusecs. Authorities have advised residents living along riverbanks to remain alert and take necessary precautions. While Pune city witnessed a brief lull in rainfall on Thursday, light showers resumed on Friday morning, with the intensity expected to increase over the next two days.
Meteorologists said the current spell is being driven by a well-marked low-pressure area over central India that originated over the Bay of Bengal and is moving from Chhattisgarh towards Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. The weather system is expected to bring widespread heavy rainfall across Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada over the next three to four days.
The IMD has issued a red alert for the ghat areas of Pune and Nashik, while an orange alert has been sounded for Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Jalgaon.
Over the past 24 hours, Jalgaon, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Yavatmal and Amravati have received very heavy rainfall. Moderate to heavy rain has also been forecast for Kolhapur, Sindhudurg, Mumbai, Ahilyanagar and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The IMD has also released its extended forecast for the period July 31 to August 27. It noted that Maharashtra has so far received around 15% below-normal rainfall this monsoon season. After the ongoing spell, rainfall activity is likely to reduce during August, with the subsequent monsoon pattern expected to depend on the evolving El Niño conditions.
The weather department has advised people travelling to ghat sections and tourist destinations to exercise extreme caution in view of the forecast.
