Maharashtra: 'Cool' spell ends as Koregaon Park sizzles at 42.8°Celsius; Jalgaon hottest in country at 44.6°Celsius

PUNE: After a cool summer spell so far this season, temperatures in many locations in Maharashtra, including Pune, have touched 40+ degrees Celsius, with Jalgaon being the hottest in India in the last couple of days.
April had shed its 'cruellest' tag this summer as the country not only witnessed its coolest nights during the month in the past five years, but also the coolest and wettest days after 2020. The April pattern was continuing in May too, with the first few days of this month seeing the unseasonably cool weather.

On Tuesday, Jalgaon recorded a sizzling day temperature of 43.3°C, which surged further on Wednesday to nearly 45°C. In Shivajinagar, Lohegaon and Ahmednagar, the maximum temperature reached 40.1°C on Wednesday.
Koregaon Park recorded a maximum temperature of 42.8°C whereas Wadgaonsheri recorded 42.2°C as its day temperature on Wednesday. Rajgurunagar recorded 41.9°C; Hadapsar and Chinchwad 41.8°C; even Pashan, which is generally a cooler spot in the city, recorded a day temperature of 40.1°C.
More than 19 locations in Maharashtra recorded day temperatures at 40°C or above on Wednesday with high chances that the temperatures are likely to rise further in the next few days.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather forecasting division, IMD, Pune, told TOI, "The system over the Bay of Bengal, which has turned into a cyclonic storm and gradually will intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, is likely to deplete the moisture from Maharashtra and adjoining regions of southern peninsula. The lower the humidity, and negligible afternoon-time clouding, the higher the maximum temperature is likely to be during the next few days."
Since the daytime heat load is increasing, night temperatures are also significantly above normal in Maharashtra, he said. Temperatures at night are 3-5 notches or more above normal in Maharashtra. For instance, in Shivajinagar, the minimum temperature was 24.8°C on Wednesday, which was 3° above normal. In Lohegaon it was 25.5°C, which was 4.5°C above normal. This is raising the discomfort for citizens even during the night.
An IMD forecast showed several locations, including Shivajinagar ,Pashan, Lohegaon, Chinchwad, Lavale and Magarpatta, in Pune are likely to touch 41°C. A Skymet Weather Services update said, "The central regions of India, which include Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, are expected to experience a rise in temperatures over the next few days. Some areas in Gujarat are experiencing maximums of around 42°C and temperatures hovering around 40°C in parts of Maharashtra and MP."
It stated, "Over the next four to five days, maximum temperatures are expected to increase. Some stations may even experience heatwave conditions as maximum temperatures could reach 45°C."