Pune: The city has recorded its wettest August in four years a week before the month ends, according to data from the India Meteorological Department. The city received 203.8mm of rain in the first 24 days of the month, making it the highest August rainfall since 2020.
This marks a significant increase compared to recent years. August 2021 had recorded a mere 40.6mm rainfall.
The precipitation in August 2022 was 164.2mm and in August 2023 it was 42.1mm for the entire month.
Normal August rainfall for Pune is 145.2mm. The long-term data primarily refers to measurements taken at Shivajinagar.
Meteorological experts suggested that if similar long-term data were available for locations such as Lohegaon, Hadapsar or Wadgaonsheri, the rainfall could be substantially higher. These areas experienced intense convective showers recently, with some locations receiving over 100mm of rain in a short period. An official of the India Meteorological Department ( IMD ) told TOI, “The localised heavy showers we’ve observed in certain parts of the city contribute significantly to the overall rainfall figures.
But we rely on data from our established observatories for consistency in long-term analysis.” S D Sanap, a scientist from IMD-Pune, said, “There have been 12 rainy days in Pune till August 24. We consider a day ‘rainy’ when the rainfall is greater than 2.
5mm per day.” IMD data showed that there were just seven rainy days in the entire month of August in 2023, twelve such days in August 2022 and seven in August 2021. Sanap said, “The city saw good rain in the first week of August, followed by reduced rainfall intensity.
Then convective showers started again, which contributed significantly to the total quantum, compensating for the deficiency when the rain intensity had reduced.” Independent weather forecaster Abhijit Modak told TOI, “If we had seen active monsoon conditions this August, Pune’s total rainfall would have been less than this because active conditions only cause passing spells of mostly double-digit rain in a 24-hour period, with heavy spells restricted to hilly areas and windward regions of the Western Ghats, such as Konkan. This August had a nearly 15-day monsoon break period, which resulted in intense but localised rainfall events in Pune city, called convective rain or thundershowers.
These spells stretched over a prolonged period, almost a week. If thunderstorms occur daily over the same region for a week, it can translate into above-normal rainfall.” Modak said, “An upper air cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea resulted in increased moisture incursion, causing prolonged thundershowers.
Mumbai also saw thunderstorms this month, but still has not received its August quota. Mumbai Santacruz observatory’s August normal rainfall average is 561mm and has recorded 265mm till August 24. That is less than 50% because of a prolonged break of more than two weeks.
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