Pune: Encyclopedia II - Pune - Climate

Pune - Climate

Pune experiences three distinct seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Typical summer months are from March to May, with maximum temperature usually ranging from 35 to 39°C. However, it can be quite high at times and may exceed 40°C on some days. Contrary to the most of Deccan Plateau where May is the warmest month, the warmest month in Pune is April. The city often receives locally developed heavy thundershowers with sharp downpours in May. Though the temperatures plunge in this month, the summer heat accompanied by high humidity can be occasionally quite oppressive. Nevertheless, the nights in Pune are significantly cooler compared to most other parts in this region owing to its high altitude.

Monsoon winds blowing from the Arabian sea are a welcome relief in June, bringing with them heavy showers. Pune receives moderate rainfall. The city receives an annual rainfall of 722 mm, mainly between June and September as the result of southwest monsoon. [1] July is the wettest month of the year. Though the rainfall is comparitively lower than in the adjoining Western ghats, steady spells of heavy rain frequently disrupt normal life in the city. The spells of continous rainfall may stretch to many days or even a few weeks. Pune has, on record, received rainfall for 29 consecutive days. However, the weather is very pleasant in the city with temperature ranging from 20 to 28°C.

As the monsoon winds recede, the day temperatures rise again in October with cooler nights signalling the onset of winter. Pune experiences winter from November to February. This is the best season to visit Pune. Pleasant windy days, clear skies and cool nights make it the most enjoyable time of the year. The day temperature hovers around 29°C while night temperature is below 10°C for most of December and January, often dropping to 5 or 6°C. On particularly cold days, wind may appear to be very chilly due to the dryness of air. Rain is very rare in this season.

Temperature records: The highest temperature recorded was 110 °F (43.3 °C) on 30 April 1987 and 7 May 1889. The lowest temperature recorded during 1881-1940 was 35 °F (1.3°C) on 17 January 1935. [1]

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Climate", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki