Pune: Rainfall activity is expected to intensify across parts of Maharashtra, including Pune, over the coming week, according to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) bulletin issued on July 19.The Met department has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Konkan during the next few days, with isolated heavy showers likely between July 21 and 23. Madhya Maharashtra is also expected to receive isolated heavy rainfall during the same period. Vidarbha is likely to witness isolated to scattered rainfall from July 21 to 24, while Marathwada may experience isolated to scattered rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.For Pune, IMD has forecast a generally cloudy sky with very light to light rain on Monday, light rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, and light to moderate rain from Thursday through Saturday.“Rainfall activity is expected to increase over Pune in the coming days. The Ghat areas will also see increased rainfall activity,” an IMD official said.The weather department attributed the expected increase in rainfall to multiple weather systems currently active over the country. These include upper air cyclonic circulations over north Punjab, north Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar, southwest Madhya Pradesh, north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Chhattisgarh, central Assam and adjoining Nagaland. A trough extending from north Bihar to the northwest Bay of Bengal is also contributing to favourable conditions for rain.The Met department has issued advisories for farmers in regions likely to receive heavy rainfall, including Jammu, Konkan, Goa and Madhya Maharashtra. Farmers have been advised to withhold irrigation of standing crops and ensure proper drainage to remove excess rainwater from fields.The agrometeorology department has also urged farmers to keep livestock sheltered during heavy rain and provide balanced feed, while storing fodder in dry, secure locations to prevent spoilage. For aquaculture, the department has recommended constructing properly netted outlets around ponds to safely drain excess rainwater and prevent fish from escaping during flooding. In areas experiencing high temperatures and heatwave conditions, farmers have been advised to provide clean, cool drinking water to animals and cover poultry shed roofs with grass to minimise heat stress.
