Pune: The heat associated with Oct has set in way too early in parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, this year, making for unusually hot days and warm nights. While Alibaug recorded highest maximum temperature in the state at 38.9°C (7.
4° above normal) on Thursday, Akola reported the highest departure of 3.8° in its minimum temperature at 26.5°C.
Weather experts said such conditions were usually experienced after the withdrawal of monsoon. The city recorded its warmest early morning temperature for Oct in at least a decade on Thursday, with the mercury surging to 23.2°C in Shivajinagar.
In Hadapsar and Wadgaon Sheri, the minimum temperature even crossed 25°C, coupled with high humidity. The reading of 23.2°C in Shivajinagar has surpassed the previous Oct nighttime high of 23.
1°C recorded in 2017, IMD data showed. On Tuesday, Shivajinagar had recorded a scorching 34.9°C as its maximum temperature, more than 4° above normal.
It was also Shivajinagar's highest Oct maximum temperature in six years. The unseasonable warmth has persisted despite Wednesday's unexpected rainfall, which had provided temporary relief from the daytime heat. IMD scientist SD Sanap said, "The rain on Wednesday did bring down daytime temperature slightly, but the night intervening Wednesday and Thursday became quite warm.
We recorded humidity levels between 85-100% in the early hours of Thursday morning." Sanap said, "Dry winds coming from northwest India at the lower levels are reducing moisture.
