{
  "id": 17539122,
  "title": "Why Pune weather changed record books in Oct 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/why-pune-weather-changed-record-books-in-oct-2026",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-01T05:30:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/why-pune-weather-changed-record-books-october-2026-10945517/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In October 2026, Pune witnessed record-breaking weather, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirming that it was the lowest rainfall October since 2014. The city recorded only 1.7 mm of rain in Shivajinagar, the main weather station of the IMD in Pune. This stark contrast to the previous years, with rainfall ranging from 18.6 mm in 2023 to a high of 67.3 mm in 2025, highlights the unusual dry spell that October 2026 brought. The primary reason behind this anomaly was the early withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, which occurred on October 3, three days earlier than the usual date of October 10. This early departure, combined with the absence of thunderstorms typically associated with post-monsoon periods, contributed significantly to the lack of rain. Furthermore, the formation of an anticyclone, a high-pressure system, around Gujarat after mid-October kept Maharashtra under predominantly dry conditions. The anticyclone's influence, coupled with the absence of moisture from the Bay of Bengal and a significant low-pressure system over the Arabian Sea, worsened the situation. While the Northeast Monsoon established itself over Tamil Nadu, the easterly trough responsible for transporting moisture inland failed to reach Maharashtra adequately. As a result, Pune experienced an unusually high average maximum temperature of 34.66 degrees Celsius in October 2026, surpassing the previous year's average by a considerable margin. The expert from Vagaries of the Weather emphasized that the El Nino phenomenon, typically associated with increased rainfall, did not play a role in Pune's weather pattern in 2026.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Pune recorded lowest rainfall October since 2014, 1.7 mm in Shivajinagar",
    "Southwest monsoon withdrew early on October 3, three days early",
    "Anticyclone over Gujarat and Bay of Bengal contributed to dry conditions"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The early withdrawal of the southwest monsoon and the formation of a high-pressure system over Gujarat signal a shift toward more intense dry spells and higher temperatures in the region.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}