It is not uncommon to see such high temperatures right at the beginning of summer. Met officials said that the summer heat has come in earlier than usual this year. In the last week of February, mercury levels touched 37.3 degree Celsius and in the first week of March, they stood at 38 degrees Celsius. "The temperatures are higher than usual and they will steadily increase,'' said director (weather central) Dr Medha Khole.

While the state has seen many districts already touching the 40 degree Celsius mark, Pune is not too far. "Clear sky conditions caused due to the anti-cyclonic winds is heating up the atmosphere which is seeing such hot wave conditions,'' she added. The met officers have said that the temperatures will further rise and hot wave conditions will continue to prevail.