Bhopal, June 12 (IANS) After a blistering day under a relentless sun, Madhya Pradesh witnessed a dramatic shift in weather on Wednesday evening. Around 9 p.m., Bhopal was swept by gusty winds, followed by a refreshing spell of rain, providing much-needed relief to residents.
In Tikamgarh’s Mau Ghat, thunder cracked across the sky as rain lashed the area, accompanied by pea-sized hailstones, the report said.
Similar weather conditions were reported from Vidisha and Raisen, where skies opened up after a day of oppressive heat. The India Meteorological Department has issued a fresh alert for lightning, moderate thunder, and rainfall across Burhanpur, Khandwa, Harda, Vidisha, Raisen, and Barwani. Nighttime thunderstorms are also anticipated in Bhopal, Indore, Dewas, Sagar, Shajapur, Sehore, Rajgarh, Dhar, and Harda. The arrival of the monsoon is now imminent.
According to the Meteorological Department, monsoon activity has picked up pace and is likely to enter Madhya Pradesh between June 14 and 15, advancing from the eastern districts—Mandla, Seoni, Dindori, Balaghat, and Anuppur—where the heaviest rainfall is expected. The entire state is projected to be under monsoon cover by June 20. This year’s monsoon is ahead of schedule; in 2024, it arrived on June 21.
Meanwhile, the pre-monsoon heat has remained intense.
On Wednesday, six cities recorded temperatures exceeding 44 degrees C. Naugaon in Chhatarpur district was the hottest at 44.8 degrees C, followed by Guna at 44.5 degrees C, and Gwalior and Shajapur at 44.2 degrees C. Shivpuri and Tikamgarh also reached 44 degrees C. Major urban centres also experienced sweltering conditions, with Bhopal recording a temperature of 42.6 degrees C, Indore 41.6 degrees C, Ujjain 42.8 degrees C, and Jabalpur 40.6 degrees C. Khajuraho, Narmadapuram, and Narsinghpur hovered above 43 degrees C.
A heatwave alert remains in place for the Gwalior, Chambal, Ujjain, and Sagar divisions until June 12. Although showers are forecast from June 13 onward, heat will likely persist in districts that remain dry. May brought a string of meteorological surprises. For the first time in recorded history, Madhya Pradesh experienced storms or rain every single day of the month, weather experts said.
Fifty-three districts—including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and Gwalior—received measurable rainfall. Ujjain set a new record for May rainfall with 111.8 mm.
“This unusual pattern is attributed to persistent cyclonic circulation, western disturbances, and active trough systems that influenced the state throughout May,” said a meteorologist. These systems are expected to continue shaping the weather into mid-June, with storm and rain alerts valid through June 12.
Looking ahead, while the advancing monsoon promises relief, forecasters warn of a final wave of intense heat. Historical patterns show pre-monsoon heatwaves are typical in early June, especially in Gwalior-Chambal and the western divisions. However, night temperatures are expected to drop by 8 to 10 degrees once the rains arrive. In Bhopal, temperatures are expected to remain high until June 15, the weather department said.
Over the past decade, the capital has seen temperatures exceed 45 degrees C in early June, with night lows plunging to 17.4 degrees C. In 2020, the city recorded 16 inches of rain in June; last year, it saw 10.9 inches—five of them within a single day. In the last 24 hours, rainfall was recorded at isolated locations in the Indore, Jabalpur, and Shahdol divisions, while the rest of the state remained dry.
A heatwave prevailed across Bhopal, Ratlam, Chhindwara, Khajuraho, Nowgong, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Guna, and Pachmarhi, with severe conditions noted in Narmadapuram. No significant changes in maximum temperatures were observed across divisions. The forecast warns of thunderstorms with lightning and gusts reaching 40–50 kmph, along with heatwave conditions, in isolated areas of Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, and Narmadapuram.
Similar conditions are expected in parts of Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Barwani, Dewas, Shajapur, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, and Pandhurna.
–IANS
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