Pune, 18 April 2026: City witnessed its first major heat spike of the season as the Shivajinagar observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 40.3°C on April 17. This marks the highest temperature so far this summer, signaling an intensifying heatwave across the city.
At the same time, night temperatures have also risen sharply. The minimum temperature, which had dipped to 17.1°C on April 16, climbed to 22°C within just two days, an increase of nearly 5 degrees. This sudden rise has reduced nighttime relief for residents
Partly cloudy skies seen since Saturday morning. Punekars continue to struggle with heat due to increasing humidity levels. The combination of high temperatures and moisture in the air has led to sweaty and uncomfortable conditions across the city.
Many residents reported that the weather felt unusually hot and sticky in the morning hours, even without direct sunlight, highlighting the impact of humidity on perceived temperature.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), a change in weather conditions is expected in the coming days. While no rainfall is predicted for today, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely between April 19 and April 23.
This expected spell of rain and cloud activity may bring some relief, with maximum temperatures likely to drop from 40°C to around 37°C. The cloudy conditions already developing are seen as early signs of this transition.
Weather forecasts indicate that Pune could experience intermittent rain and thunderstorms starting early next week and continuing until midweek. These developments are expected to ease the ongoing heatwave, although humidity may persist during this period.