IMD Issues Orange Alert for Pune Ghat Areas; Heavy Rainfall Expected, Cities Remain Mostly Dry
Pune, 29th June 2025: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the ghat regions of Pune district, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days. While hilly areas continue to receive substantial rain, most urban centres across Maharashtra, including Pune and Mumbai, witnessed little to no precipitation during the day on Saturday.
Heavy Rain Concentrated in Ghat Regions
According to IMD data, Shirgaon recorded 100 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending Saturday morning. Other ghat stations reported even higher figures, with Ambona receiving 118 mm and Tamhini Ghat registering 110 mm.
An official from the IMD Pune centre stated, “The monsoon is currently active over the Konkan region and the western ghats of Maharashtra. We expect heavy rainfall in these regions over the next few days, particularly in isolated pockets.”
Minimal Rainfall in Urban Centres
Despite the monsoon’s intensity in the hills, city areas remained mostly dry. Pune recorded a mere 0.5 mm of rainfall between 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM on Saturday. Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar experienced no measurable rain during the same period.
Meteorologists explained that the current pattern is typical during early active phases of the monsoon, where orographic rainfall is more concentrated in elevated areas like the ghats due to the terrain’s influence on moisture-laden winds.
Forecast for Coming Days
As per the latest forecast, heavy to very heavy rain is expected in isolated locations over Konkan & Goa, and the ghats of Madhya Maharashtra and Gujarat, over the next seven days. Additionally, light to moderate rainfall is likely at many places in the region throughout this period.
The IMD continues to monitor the evolving weather system and has urged district authorities and residents in ghat regions to remain vigilant, especially in landslide-prone zones.
“The orange alert indicates the potential for localized disruptions in transportation and outdoor activities in hilly terrain. People should avoid non-essential travel to ghat areas during heavy rainfall alerts,” an IMD official advised.
Authorities are also keeping an eye on water levels in reservoirs and river catchments, which could rise rapidly if heavy downpours persist over the ghats.
Safety Advisory for Travellers
With several scenic spots in Pune district — including Tamhini Ghat, Lavasa Road, and Bhor — being popular monsoon destinations, the district administration is likely to issue safety guidelines to tourists and trekkers visiting these areas.
Citizens are advised to check official weather updates before planning travel to ghat regions and to steer clear of riverbanks, waterfalls, and landslide-prone slopes.
