Why Did Pune & Pimpri-Chinchwad Suddenly Receive Such Heavy Rain? Here’s What Caused It

· Free Press Journal

Pune: Heavy rain over the past two days has flooded roads, disrupted traffic, raised river levels and forced evacuations in several parts of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Areas including Hinjawadi, Chakan, Alandi, Dehu, Maval and Mulshi have been among the worst affected, while schools remained shut on Monday following the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Red Alert.

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Many residents described the rain as sudden. However, weather experts say the downpour is the result of several weather systems coming together at the same time.

What’s The Reason?

According to meteorologists based in India, the main reason behind the ongoing spell is a low-pressure area that formed over the Bay of Bengal a few days ago. Such systems pull in large amounts of moist air and help strengthen the southwest monsoon. As the system became active, it pushed more rain-bearing clouds towards Maharashtra.

At the same time, strong westerly winds from the Arabian Sea have been carrying huge amounts of moisture towards the state. These winds have remained strong across different levels of the atmosphere, allowing a continuous supply of moisture. This has helped rain clouds keep forming over western Maharashtra.

Western Ghats Play A Major Role…

The Western Ghats have also played a major role. When the moisture-filled winds hit the mountain range, they are forced to rise. As the air rises, it cools and forms rain clouds. This process, known as orographic lifting, is one of the main reasons why the ghat areas receive very heavy rainfall during the monsoon.

Although Pune city usually receives less rainfall because it lies on the leeward side of the Western Ghats, this weather system has allowed rain-bearing clouds to move beyond the mountains. As a result, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Hinjawadi, Chakan and nearby areas have received hours of continuous heavy rain instead of short showers.

Some independent weather experts have described the current situation as a “Vortex-LPA setup”. While this is not an official IMD term, it refers to a low-pressure area working along with a cyclonic circulation that increases moisture over the Konkan coast and the Western Ghats. This helps rain clouds develop repeatedly over the same region, leading to prolonged heavy rainfall.

Experts say the rain has remained continuous because several weather conditions are working together. These include the active low-pressure area, strong moisture from the Arabian Sea, persistent westerly winds and continuous cloud formation over western Maharashtra.

Red Alert Issued for Pune Ghats Till July 4; City Likely To Receive Steady Rain, Says IMD

Red Alert For Pune…

The intense rainfall has caused rivers, streams and drains to overflow across Pune district. Water levels in the Indrayani, Pavana and Mula rivers have risen sharply. Low-lying areas, riverbank settlements and several underpasses have witnessed flooding as the rain fell faster than drainage systems could handle.

The IMD has issued a red alert for Pune district, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and gusty winds at isolated places. Weather officials expect active monsoon conditions to continue over Konkan, the Western Ghats and parts of Madhya Maharashtra for the next few days as the low-pressure area remains active.

Authorities have advised people to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers and flooded areas, and follow official weather advisories until the rainfall activity reduces.

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