Rain deficit in Madhya Maharashtra has mounted to 70%. The city of Pune received scanty rain for the entire month of June and July too has not brought any good news so far. Since 10th June, Pune has received a total of 9.7 mm of rain, with only eight rainy days.
Other than the heaviest spell of rain recorded on 10th June, Pune received 2 mm of rain on two occasions, 16th and 17th June. Other than this rain amounts have been insignificant.
In the first nine days of July, rain has only been 0.7 mm with 0.4 mm recorded on 4th July and 0.3 mm on 5th July. The normal rainfall in Pune in the month of July is about 187 mm.
Lack of rain has already led to a significant rise in the mercury levels. The maximum temperature in Pune on Tuesday recorded four notches above normal at 33⁰C, while the morning minimum settled one degree above normal at 24⁰C.
According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Pune would finally receive some rain on Thursday, which may last for a couple of days. It may increase on the 12th of July due to a low pressure system expected to form in the Bay of Bengal. The system is likely to move westwards, towards Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Weather in Maharashtra could also turn rainy at many places due to the low pressure system.
Less amount of rain in Pune can not be attributed to the El Nino phenomenon alone but also to the lack of weather systems in and around Central India which could have fed moisture to Pune and other neighboring cities of Nashik, Satara, Sanghli and Kolhapur.
Rain figures from previous years show that the lowest monthly total (July) rainfall in Pune has been 60 mm, in the year 2007. The heaviest amount of rain (in the month July) in Pune in a decade has been 411 mm, in the year 2006. The all time record of heaviest rain in Pune in the month of July in a day has been 130 mm, on 19th July 1958.