Pune, 18th September 2026: Rain has remained missing from the city during the first half of September, with Shivajinagar meteorological observatory recording only 21.8 mm of rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, this is the second-lowest rainfall recorded during the first half of September after 2018.
The city has also now gone 45 days without recording double-digit rainfall at Shivajinagar. The prolonged dry spell has kept the seasonal rainfall total below the 700 mm mark, even as the monsoon season enters its final phase.
Pune has received brief spells of rain at isolated locations over the past few days, but the showers have not been widespread or sufficient to significantly improve the rainfall situation.
The shortage of rain has also pushed temperatures above normal. On September 17, the maximum temperature at Shivajinagar was 31.7°C, which was 2.2°C above normal. The minimum temperature recorded on September 18 was 22.1°C, or 1.2°C above normal.
The dry conditions have been particularly noticeable during the ongoing Ganeshotsav. Although rain was expected during the festival period, most parts of the city have so far experienced relatively dry weather.
The southwest monsoon is expected to begin withdrawing from northwest India around September 19, according to the IMD. The department has said conditions are becoming favourable for the withdrawal to begin from parts of west Rajasthan.
The withdrawal marks the beginning of the final phase of the southwest monsoon. IMD's seasonal forecast had earlier projected below-normal rainfall for India in 2026, with the April forecast putting seasonal rainfall at around 92% of the long-period average, with a model error of ±5%.
Pune's rainfall pattern this year has been uneven. Heavy rainfall in July helped fill the city's major dams, providing relief to Pune's water supply system.
However, the performance of the other months remained relatively dry, contributing to rainfall shortages in several parts of Maharashtra. While Pune's reservoirs benefited from the intense July rainfall, the uneven distribution of rain has raised concerns over agricultural conditions in rural areas.
The current dry spell in Pune therefore comes at a time when the monsoon is approaching its withdrawal phase, leaving limited opportunity for the city to make up the rainfall deficit before the season ends.
