By Avni Arya
Pune Weather: As monsoon winds gain strength across Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Pune鈥檚 ghat regions, warning of extremely heavy rainfall and potentially hazardous conditions over the next two days. With rain-related incidents already claiming three lives on Saturday in Nashik and Thane, authorities are urging citizens to stay away from vulnerable zones, especially in the hills. Pune Weather ForecastThe IMD’s red warning, issued on Saturday, flags a serious risk in the ghat sections of Pune due to intensified monsoon activity. The advisory remains in effect through Monday and specifically urges people to avoid travelling to ghat areas, which are highly prone to landslides, flash floods and road disruptions during such spells. An IMD official explained, 鈥淭he monsoon winds are strengthening, and as the wind speed increases, it enhances rainfall activity over the ghat areas. That鈥檚 what we expect during July 6-7, especially over the ghat regions of Pune and Madhya Maharashtra.鈥 The forecast highlights 鈥渧ery heavy to heavy rainfall at isolated places鈥 with occasional strong surface winds reaching up to 55 kmph. While the red alert applies strictly to Pune鈥檚 ghats, several other regions including Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are also expected to face intense rainfall, especially in the Konkan belt. Mumbai, Thane and Dhule, though not under red alert, are likely to see heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations and have been placed under yellow and orange alerts. What鈥檚 Fueling the Weather System?A combination of meteorological systems is behind the spike in rainfall. According to IMD officials, 鈥淭here is an upper air cyclonic circulation over the northern parts of Gangetic West Bengal, extending up to 7.6 km and tilting southwards. Under its influence, a low-pressure system is likely to form in the region over the next 24 hours.鈥 Additionally, a trough from the northeastern Arabian Sea to this circulation in the mid-troposphere, and another offshore trough extending from South Gujarat to the Karnataka coast, are contributing to the increasing rainfall intensity across the state. Pune City to Receive Light to Moderate ShowersWhile the ghat regions are bracing for the heaviest downpour, Pune city itself has seen its rain forecast upgraded. IMD has issued an orange alert as the city is expected to receive light to moderate rainfall over the coming days, a notable shift from earlier predictions of merely light rain.