Pune: A sharp rise in humidity over the past few days increased people’s discomfort amid maximum temperatures close to 39–40°C in the city, but IMD hinted at some relief in the form of light rain and thunderstorms in the coming days.Data from India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s observatories on Monday showed the maximum temperature was 40.8°C in Lohegaon and 39.7°C in Shivajinagar. Chinchwad and NDA recorded a high of 38.6°C and 37.8°C, respectively. Rainfall remained negligible across stations.The relative humidity has increased significantly in the city over the past three-four days, resulting in a higher “real feel” temperature and sticky conditions. The relative humidity was between 48% and 63% in the past couple of days compared to 21–34% last week.IMD scientist S D Sanap said the spike in humidity was due to moisture incursion over the region. “When both temperature and humidity are high, sweat does not evaporate efficiently. This reduces the body’s ability to cool itself, leading to greater discomfort,” he said.He said such humid conditions were likely to persist for the next three to four days, with rainfall expected across parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada, including Pune district. “We are expecting light rain and thunderstorms in the coming days. Some parts of the district may have already received very light rain, though it has not been widespread,” he said.According to the IMD’s district forecast, Pune is likely to witness thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, light to moderate rain and gusty winds (30–40 kmph) at isolated places till April 24. Similar activities have been forecast across neighbouring districts, including parts of Nashik ghats and Ahilyanagar. Coastal districts such as Thane and Palghar may get light rain or thundershowers.The high humidity of late is leaving residents exhausted. “Even short walks leave you drenched in sweat,” said Shweta Tiwari, a Shivajinagar resident.Piyush Mane from Kothrud said, “Fans are not enough anymore. The humidity makes it feel much hotter than what the temperature shows. It is suffocating indoors and outdoors both.”IMD scientist Sanap said, “When the weather is dry, the body cools itself efficiently through sweating. The sweat evaporates from the skin, and this evaporation helps bring down the body temperature. But when the humidity is high, the air contains a lot of moisture. So, the sweat does not evaporate easily.”In such conditions, the body continues to sweat, but the evaporation rate is much lower. As a result, the cooling mechanism becomes less effective. Sweat tends to remain on the skin instead of evaporating, and the body struggles to lose heat.Sanap said, “This is why people feel more uncomfortable during humid conditions. The combination of high temperature and high humidity reduces the body’s ability to cool itself, leading to a higher ‘real feel’ temperature and persistent stickiness.”
