Yellow alert for thunderstorms in Konkan, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha on Thursday

October is nearly over, but Maharashtra's weather has not changed its mood. Afternoon sun has kept temperatures high in some areas. Under the influence of Cyclone "Arnab" in the Bay of Bengal, many parts of the state are likely to see rain with lightning on Thursday, 29 October. The weather department has issued a stormy-rain warning for Konkan, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha.

Light to moderate showers with strong winds are also expected in the ghat areas of Pune. Night temperatures have risen in some places, while mornings feel cool in others.

Cyclone "Arnab" formed in the Bay of Bengal and remained active over land after hitting the Andhra Pradesh coast. The system may weaken on Thursday, 29 October. Meanwhile, winds are circulating up to about 5.8 km above sea level over the South Andaman Sea, and a new low-pressure area is likely to form there on Thursday.

Because of these systems, skies will remain cloudy in parts of the state, with thunder and lightning-accompanied rain possible. Stormy weather is likely in Konkan, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha, with showers in places.

On Thursday, rain with lightning is likely in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik and Jalna districts. Parts of the ghat areas of Pune and Satara districts may see similar weather. People in these areas should keep following local forecasts and official advisories.

In Vidarbha, rain and thunder are also expected in Amravati, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Bhandara and Gondia districts. Strong winds are possible in places, so those working outdoors and travelling should be careful. However, it will not rain in all districts at once, and intensity may differ from district to district.

On temperatures, the heat remains uneven across the state. According to one weather record, in the 24 hours to Wednesday morning, Ratnagiri recorded a maximum of 37.2 degrees Celsius. Dahanu and Santacruz stayed above 36 degrees, while Jalgaon and Solapur recorded more than 35 degrees. In another city-wise record, Dahanu's maximum was 36.7 degrees, 2.9 degrees above normal. The same record showed Santacruz at 35.5 degrees, Colaba at 34.8, Ratnagiri at 34.5 and Alibag at 33.9. Maximum temperatures for some places differ between records, so the figures should be read in the context of the record they come from.

In Vidarbha, night temperatures were above normal in many places. Wardha's minimum was 24 degrees, 6.5 above normal. Nagpur recorded 23.5 degrees, 5.9 above normal. Akola recorded 23.7 degrees (5.6 above normal), Chandrapur 23 degrees (3.9 above) and Amravati 21.7 degrees (3.8 above). Brahmapuri's minimum was 22 degrees, Buldhana's 21.2, Washim's 20.4, and Gondia and Yavatmal were at 19.2 each. Daytime maximums fell in many places: Akola recorded 33 degrees, and Chandrapur and Nagpur 30.6 each. Brahmapuri had Vidarbha's lowest maximum at 29.7 degrees, 2.4 below normal. In this record Gondia received 2 mm of rain, and the other centres had none.

On the Konkan coast, Alibag had the highest night temperature at 26.3 degrees, 3.9 above normal. Mumbai's minimum was 25 degrees, 0.7 above normal. Dahanu recorded 19.9 degrees, 2.6 below normal. Ratnagiri recorded 20.2 degrees and Santacruz 21. According to this record, Mumbai, Alibag, Ratnagiri and Dahanu had no rain in those 24 hours, but rain with lightning is possible in parts of Konkan on Thursday, so the weather could change.

In central Maharashtra, Nashik's minimum was 14.3 degrees, 1.2 below normal and the lowest in the state in the available city-wise record. Mahabaleshwar recorded 14.9 degrees, 0.7 below normal. Solapur recorded 21.2 degrees (2.4 above normal), Ahilyanagar 19.3 (4 above), Kolhapur 19 and Satara 17. By day, Jalgaon's maximum was 36.5 degrees, 2.5 above normal. Ahilyanagar recorded 35.2 degrees (3.2 above) and Solapur 34.7. No rain was recorded at the reporting centres in central Maharashtra.

In Marathwada, minimum temperatures were above normal at all recorded centres. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar recorded 21.8 degrees, 5.5 above normal. Parbhani recorded 20.6 degrees (3.1 above) and Dharashiv 20.2 (2.3 above). Daytime maximums were 32.8 degrees in Parbhani, 32.6 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and 32.2 in Dharashiv. No rain was recorded at these three centres.

In Pune on Wednesday, the maximum was 32.9 degrees, 1.4 above normal, and the minimum 14.9 degrees, 1 below normal. Pune is expected to be partly cloudy on Thursday. Lightning, thunder, light to moderate rain and strong winds are likely, especially in parts of the ghat areas of Pune district. The maximum in Pune on Thursday is expected to be about 34 degrees and the minimum 17 degrees Celsius. Pune had no rain in the 24 hours to 8.30 am on Wednesday, nor between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm that day. The city has received only 1.4 mm of rain this season against a seasonal normal of 74.4 mm, a deficit of 73 mm.

What precautions should people take? Avoid standing under trees or in open spaces during thunder. If winds are strong, secure light objects in a safe place. Those travelling on Pune's ghat roads should plan their journey after checking the local weather forecast.

Overall, it will not rain across the whole state on Thursday, 29 October. Some districts may see stormy rain, while the rest may stay hot and cloudy. People should keep checking the latest forecast for their district and official weather department advisories.