IMD Issues Red Alert for Pune Ghat Areas as Monsoon Gains Momentum Across Maharashtra
Pune, 6th July 2025: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the ghat sections of Pune district, warning of intense monsoon activity over the next 48 hours. The advisory comes in the wake of persistent rainfall and recent weather-related fatalities across Maharashtra.
The IMD has urged people to avoid traveling to hilly terrains and other vulnerable zones, particularly in the Western Ghats, as the weather system is expected to bring extremely heavy downpours and strong winds.
“We are expecting a significant surge in rainfall over July 6 and 7, especially in the ghat regions of Pune and surrounding areas of Madhya Maharashtra,” an IMD official said, explaining the alert. “The strengthening monsoon winds are contributing to the increase in rainfall intensity, and gusts could reach up to 55 kmph in some places.”
According to the five-day forecast, several areas along the Konkan coast—including Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg—are also likely to be lashed by heavy to very heavy rainfall. While Pune’s ghats are under the highest level of alert, other regions such as Mumbai, Thane, and Dhule have been placed under orange or yellow alerts, depending on the projected severity.
The weekend saw multiple rain-related tragedies in the state. On Saturday, three people lost their lives—two in Nashik (one due to a fall into a gorge, and another from a falling tree) and one in Thane, where a person drowned in floodwaters.
Atmospheric Systems Behind the Surge
Meteorologists attributed the heightened monsoon conditions to a combination of weather systems currently influencing the region. “An upper air cyclonic circulation is hovering over northern parts of Gangetic West Bengal, extending up to 7.6 km and tilting southward. This setup is expected to lead to the formation of a low-pressure area within the next 24 hours,” the IMD official added.
In addition, a trough extending from the northeastern Arabian Sea to this circulation zone, along with an offshore trough running from south Gujarat to the Karnataka coast, is expected to enhance rainfall across western and central India.
While Pune’s ghats face the brunt of the weather system with a red alert, nearby districts like Satara and Nashik are under orange alerts for the next two days. These are expected to downgrade to yellow alerts thereafter, depending on the evolution of the monsoon systems.
Meanwhile, Pune city—earlier under a light rain forecast—has now been upgraded to a moderate rainfall alert, with short spells of heavy showers likely during evenings and nights.
