Pune: Large parts of Maharashtra, particularly Vidarbha, continued to suffer under extreme heat on Monday, with Amravati recording a blistering 46.6 degrees Celsius. This was just a degree below the national high of 47.6 degrees Celsius recorded in Banda, Uttar Pradesh.
In Pune, maximum temperatures showed a marginal dip. Shivajinagar recorded a high of 39.8 degrees Celsius, slightly lower than the previous day's 41.8 degrees Celsius. Lohegaon logged 42.1 degrees Celsius, down from 42.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated that an easing trend has already begun in parts of Madhya Maharashtra and is likely to continue gradually over the next few days.
However, the broader state picture remained starkly different. Several stations across Vidarbha reported severe heat conditions, with Akola at 46.3 degrees Celsius, Wardha at 46.5 degrees Celsius, Nagpur at 45 degrees Celsius, Chandrapur at 45.2 degrees Celsius, and Yavatmal at 45.2 degrees Celsius. In Marathwada, places like Parbhani (44.5 degrees Celsius) and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (43 degrees Celsius) remained significantly above normal.
IMD scientist S D Sanap said heatwave conditions were prevailing across multiple districts in Vidarbha. "If you look at the data, heatwave conditions forecast was already issued for Vidarbha. Places like Akola and Amravati have recorded heatwave conditions, while Buldhana is close to it. Chandrapur, Nagpur and Wardha also have recorded heatwave conditions," he said, adding that warnings had been issued for most districts in the region.
Sanap noted that while Pune and parts of Madhya Maharashtra have begun experiencing a slight fall in temperatures, relief for Vidarbha will take longer. "A gradual fall of around 2-3 degrees Celsius is expected over the next five to seven days. Thunderstorm activity is also likely in some Vidarbha districts from Tuesday onwards. This should help bring temperatures down," he explained.
Despite the slight dip, rainfall continues to remain elusive for Pune and its surrounding regions. "No rain is forecast for Pune and Madhya Maharashtra as of now," Sanap said.
Lohegaon resident Salim Shaikh said that although the temperature dipped slightly, it did not feel like any real relief. "Days are still extremely harsh. What is worse is that nights are not cooling down either. It stays hot and uncomfortable late into the night, making it difficult to sleep. The heat just feels constant through the day and night. Stepping out even in the evening does not help much," he added.
Abhijit Joshi, a resident from Model Colony, said, "There may be a marginal drop in the maximum temperature, but the discomfort is very much there. Early-morning humidity was quite high as per IMD, around 61 percent, which made it feel sticky and uneasy even before the day heated up. By afternoon, it becomes dry and harsh again. It is this combination that is making the weather exhausting, rather than any real respite."
