Unseasonal Rain And Hailstorm In Pune. Weather Office Says "Not Unusual"

After weeks of rising temperatures, the city witnessed sudden unseasonal rain, thunderstorms, and hailstorms, bringing both relief and damage. In some parts of the city, hail covered the ground in white, an unusual sight just before the peak summer season.

According to the India Meteorological Department, such weather activity is not entirely uncommon for this time of the year. “Yesterday, several parts of Madhya Maharashtra experienced rain, thunderstorms, and hail. It is not usual, but it is not extremely unusual either. It has happened before,” said IMD scientist Sudeep Kumar.

He added that Shivajinagar in Pune recorded 26.6 mm of rainfall, making it the fourth-highest rainfall recorded in the month of March. “The highest rainfall recorded in March has been around 44 mm,” he said, indicating that while such intense spells are rare, they are not unprecedented.

Kumar noted that this marks the onset of pre-monsoon activity in the region. According to him, such weather events are typically observed during seasonal transitions in March.

On the forecast ahead, the IMD has warned that similar conditions are likely to persist. An orange alert has been issued for parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada for the next three days, indicating the possibility of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. This will be followed by a yellow alert around April 3–4, suggesting relatively lower but continued weather activity.