After nearly two weeks of dry weather, much-needed rainfall has made a welcome return to Pune and its surrounding areas. The rekindled rain activity has brought relief to farmers and is expected to continue for a few more days, offering a respite from the dry spell.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported significant rainfall in various locations. The Tamhini ghat in Mulshi received 35mm of rain, while Lonavala in Maval tehsil recorded 25mm within the last 24 hours. Even Pune city witnessed light showers, with the Shivajinagar observatory reporting 3.4mm of rainfall, and Lohegaon recording 3mm on the same day.
According to meteorological experts, the city can anticipate light to very light rainfall until August 24, accompanied by partly cloudy conditions. The pattern is expected to include intermittent spells of light rain and overcast skies.
The recent rainfall can be attributed to a low-pressure system forming over North Chattisgarh, which caused the monsoon trough to shift southward. However, the intensity of rainfall is expected to decrease starting from Monday. The state has been lacking strong weather systems since August 7, and the weakened monsoon current has contributed to the reduction in rainfall.
In the northern regions of India, the monsoon trough has led to heavy rainfall in recent days. Nevertheless, the extended forecast suggests that there will be no new weather system forming over the state for the foreseeable future.
While parts of Madhya Maharashtra received rainfall, some areas like Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, and Nashik districts remained dry. Marathwada saw minimal rainfall with Aurangabad recording 2mm and Beed with 1mm over the last 24 hours. In the Vidarbha region, Akola received 0.4mm, Amravati got 1mm, Buldhana recorded 27mm, Wardha saw 12mm, and Nagpur had 0.6mm.
Meteorological officials have predicted light to moderate rainfall for both Marathwada and Vidarbha regions in the coming days. The scarcity of rain has put farmers in a tough situation across the state. Many crops are in their final stages, and the prolonged gap in rainfall has raised concerns about potential damage to these crops.
Sowing has been recorded on approximately 137 lakh hectares, which is slightly less than the 140 lakh hectares sowed last year. If rainfall continues to be scarce, the state may end up with even fewer hectares sowed compared to the average of 143 lakh hectares.
Agriculture activists, like Sachin Holkar from Nashik, have emphasized the need for a comprehensive contingency plan by the government to support farmers during such situations. The current difficulties are affecting various agricultural sectors, including dairy farming, and proactive measures are crucial to mitigate the challenges faced by the farming community.
