Pune is feeling very hot these days. On Wednesday, the temperature reached 39.8°C, very close to 40°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Because of this heat, local officials have asked everyone to take care of themselves, especially between 12 PM and 4 PM when it's the hottest.
The temperature is 2.3°C higher than last week, and even the night temperature has gone up to 24.6°C, which is also more than normal for this time. The IMD says that this heat will stay for at least the next three days. The humidity, which means how much moisture is in the air, is between 32% and 45%, making it hard to be outside.
This March is hotter than last March by 3.1°C. In the city, places with many buildings are even warmer, sometimes by 2.5°C, because the concrete holds in heat.
Hospitals in Pune are seeing more patients because of the heat. There's been a 15% rise in people coming in for heat-related issues, with many cases of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Older people and those who work outside are having a tough time.
To help people stay cool, the city has set up 24 cooling centers and is giving away over 5,000 liters of drinking water at important places. They've also changed work hours for outdoor workers, making them take breaks from 1 PM to 3 PM.
Weather experts think this hot weather will continue until the pre-monsoon rains come in June. They believe there's a 60% chance that temperatures will go above 38°C for the next 15 days. Sometimes, thunderstorms might come to cool things down a bit.
