PUNE: May has brought unusually intense rainfall in parts of Maharashtra, with the city recording significant precipitation that makes it feel more like monsoon.
Rainfall figures from 8:30am till 8.30pm on Tuesday showed Chinchwad recorded the highest rainfall at a staggering 80mm, followed by Lavale at 34.2mm and Lohegaon at 33.8mm. Shivajinagar registered 23.6mm of rainfall and Koregaon Park (KP) 5.5mm. The intense showers accompanied by thunder and lightning caused severe waterlogging in multiple areas across the city, further complicating the situation for residents and commuters.
An IMD official explained the unusual monsoon-like pattern: "It's due to the setting of westerlies early this year. Global factors such as El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole are favourable for a good monsoon this year. These climate patterns are showing positive indicators that could lead to above-normal rainfall during the actual monsoon season."
The official added: "The current thunderstorms are pre-monsoon showers because of moisture incursion from westerlies from the Arabian Sea."
As per an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, conditions are likely to become favourable for monsoon onset over Kerala during the next 4-5 days. The usual date for the onset over Kerala — which marks the beginning of the four-month-long southwest monsoon over the country — is June 1.
For the next few days too, parts of Maharashtra are on a yellow and orange alert for rains. Pune city is likely to see moderate rainfall as well as thunder and lightning activity during the next few days.
Abhijit Modak, an independent weather forecaster, explained why it feels like the monsoon in May itself. "This May has been quite unique. A strong Western Disturbance extended unusually far south, reaching into the Arabian Sea. This not only brought rainfall with it but also disrupted the typical quasi-stationary high-pressure system over the north to west-central Arabian Sea. Normally, this high-pressure system drives hot northerly and northwesterly winds from Gujarat and Rajasthan towards Maharashtra."
He said: "However, this pattern was disrupted by the strong Western Disturbance. Additionally, a recent Western Disturbance also drew moisture from the south, and the seasonal line of wind discontinuity further contributed to scattered thunderstorm activity across the region over the past 10 days.".
Modak said the southwest monsoon has made an early onset, arriving about a week ahead of schedule over the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "This early monsoon onset has intensified the east-west shear zone, contributing to the development of an upper air cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal. All indications suggest a wetter-than-usual May for the region."
IMD has issued an orange alert for ghats of Pune, Kolhapur, and Satara districts as well as other parts of Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days. Several other districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha have been placed under yellow alert as pre-monsoon activity intensifies across the region.
Rainfall figures from 8:30am till 8.30pm on Tuesday showed Chinchwad recorded the highest rainfall at a staggering 80mm, followed by Lavale at 34.2mm and Lohegaon at 33.8mm. Shivajinagar registered 23.6mm of rainfall and Koregaon Park (KP) 5.5mm. The intense showers accompanied by thunder and lightning caused severe waterlogging in multiple areas across the city, further complicating the situation for residents and commuters.
An IMD official explained the unusual monsoon-like pattern: "It's due to the setting of westerlies early this year. Global factors such as El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole are favourable for a good monsoon this year. These climate patterns are showing positive indicators that could lead to above-normal rainfall during the actual monsoon season."
The official added: "The current thunderstorms are pre-monsoon showers because of moisture incursion from westerlies from the Arabian Sea."
As per an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, conditions are likely to become favourable for monsoon onset over Kerala during the next 4-5 days. The usual date for the onset over Kerala — which marks the beginning of the four-month-long southwest monsoon over the country — is June 1.
For the next few days too, parts of Maharashtra are on a yellow and orange alert for rains. Pune city is likely to see moderate rainfall as well as thunder and lightning activity during the next few days.
Abhijit Modak, an independent weather forecaster, explained why it feels like the monsoon in May itself. "This May has been quite unique. A strong Western Disturbance extended unusually far south, reaching into the Arabian Sea. This not only brought rainfall with it but also disrupted the typical quasi-stationary high-pressure system over the north to west-central Arabian Sea. Normally, this high-pressure system drives hot northerly and northwesterly winds from Gujarat and Rajasthan towards Maharashtra."
He said: "However, this pattern was disrupted by the strong Western Disturbance. Additionally, a recent Western Disturbance also drew moisture from the south, and the seasonal line of wind discontinuity further contributed to scattered thunderstorm activity across the region over the past 10 days.".
Modak said the southwest monsoon has made an early onset, arriving about a week ahead of schedule over the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "This early monsoon onset has intensified the east-west shear zone, contributing to the development of an upper air cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal. All indications suggest a wetter-than-usual May for the region."
IMD has issued an orange alert for ghats of Pune, Kolhapur, and Satara districts as well as other parts of Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days. Several other districts in Marathwada and Vidarbha have been placed under yellow alert as pre-monsoon activity intensifies across the region.
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