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The city of Pune and its surrounding areas have been experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall, particularly in the evenings, over the past two days. This sudden downpour, characterized by thunder and lightning, bears a resemblance to the pre-monsoon showers typically observed during April and May. The unexpected August rainfall, however, has a different explanation.
According to Anupam Kashyapi, a former head of weather forecasting at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the current rainfall is a result of insufficient moisture in the atmosphere. Despite the presence of moisture, it is not enough to sustain continuous monsoon-like rainfall. This has resulted in cloudy skies and elevated daytime temperatures.
The combination of high daytime temperatures and atmospheric moisture has prompted the IMD to issue a forecast predicting mild to moderate rainfall in various parts of the district and city over the next 3-4 days. The rainfall pattern is expected to continue in the evenings, following a day marked by discomfort and heat. Thunder, lightning, and wind are anticipated to accompany the showers, which typically last for about two hours.
August has been largely dry for Pune, with only these intermittent rainfall spells. Despite the recent showers, the district has already received a significant amount of rainfall this monsoon season. Pune has received 997.8 mm of rainfall, exceeding the normal expected rainfall of 683.4 mm since the monsoon commenced in June.
The abundant rainfall has filled most of the dams supplying water to Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, leading to continuous water discharge from many dams. The heavy rainfall in July led to flooding in several parts of the city, resulting in casualties. The pre-catchment and catchment areas experienced extremely heavy rainfall, contributing to the floods.