Pune: The India Meteorological Department has issued an 'Orange Alert' for heavy rainfall in Pune, Satara, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts for Tuesday, July 9.

The rest of Maharashtra has been placed under a 'Yellow Alert' for strong rain and thunderstorms on Monday. Residents in the affected areas are advised to stay cautious and follow safety measures during the forecasted heavy rains.

The monsoon trough has shifted southward from its usual position, stretching from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to Chittorgarh, Raisen, Mandla, Raipur, Kalingapatnam, and the central Bay of Bengal. Additionally, a low-pressure area remains parallel to the coast from Gujarat to northern Kerala.

Cyclonic conditions near the Andhra Pradesh coast and a convergence zone of opposing east-west winds in southern Maharashtra are contributing to the increased rainfall.

On July 8, Maharashtra records an average daily rainfall of 11.3 mm, but this year the weather department reported a significant single-day rainfall of 24.1 mm.

So far, this monsoon season has brought 311.8 mm of rainfall, exceeding the average of 289 mm for the period from June 1 to July 8 by 8 per cent.

Despite the overall increase, some districts, including Nandurbar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dharashiv, Bhandara, Gondia, and Gadchiroli, have experienced below-average rainfall. Solapur district recorded the highest rainfall, with 243.3 mm, which is 99 per cent above the average of 122 mm.

Meanwhile, due to the red alert issued by IMD, for extremely heavy rainfall in Pune and Mumbai, considering the safety of students, a holiday has been declared on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, for all primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools as well as colleges in Pune and Mumbai.

During this period, all principals, teachers, and non-teaching staff should be present in the school during office hours to manage disaster operations as per local administration's orders.