Pune has received the highest rainfall in the month of April since 1896. As the skies opened up on Thursday afternoon, NDA recorded 84 mm of rain; Shivajinagar recorded 65 mm, Hadapsar 42 mm, Pashan 36.3 mm, Chinchwad received 28.5 mm and Lohegaon 21 mm.

According to data, the last record for heaviest rain in Pune was 51.1 mm on April 4, 1896. On April 6, 1953, Pune received 48.2 mm, and it poured 31.6 mm on April 28, 1959. Since then, the records were held by rainfall between 27.4 mm and 22.8 mm.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms with lightning and rain in Pune and its suburbs till April 4. “There is a trough in the Easterlies, stretching from south Tamil Nadu to the North Konkan coast. This is not the only system. We also have a western disturbance in Northwest India that has caused a jet stream to move a little southward. These factors are conducive to the formation of thunderclouds and the occurrence of thunderstorms and hailstorms,” said S D Sanap, scientist with IMD Pune.

Thursday’s rain, which was accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph, thunder and lightning, also spread across Malin, which received 18.5 mm, Dudulgaon, which recorded 13.5 mm and Narayangaon, where 12 mm of rain was recorded. Haveli received the least rainfall, at 0.5 mm, while Ballalwadi received 1 mm.

In the aftermath of the incessant rainfall, the maximum temperature has dropped below normal. The maximum temperature recorded at the Shivajinagar station was 34.6° C, which is 2.6° C below normal. This was similar to the maximum temperature in NDA, Chinchwad and Hadapsar, which had received some of the highest rain on Thursday. Pashan was marginally warmer at 35.1° C.

“The temperatures are going to be below normal for the next couple of days because of the clouds. We expect it to start rising from April 5, when the day-time temperature is likely to touch 37° C. By April 8, it is likely to be 38° C,” says Sanap. The minimum temperature was 19.9° C on Friday in Shivajinagar and NDA, while Pashan recorded 20.1° C. The night-time temperature is likely to remain stable as the clouds prevent the escape of the sun’s heat during the night and keep the atmosphere warm.

The IMD has issued an orange alert, indicating hailstorms, for Marthwada on April 3, followed by two days of yellow alert for thunderstorm, lightning and squall. In Vidarbha, a yellow alert extends to April 5, indicating that people should prepare for thunderstorms and lightning. On Friday, neither of these districts received significant rainfall.