Madhya Pradesh remained in the grip of a severe heatwave on Thursday, 14 May 2026, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing fresh warnings of worsening conditions across the state over the next three days. Khajuraho in Chhatarpur district recorded the state's highest maximum temperature at 45.4 degrees Celsius, as large parts of central India continue to battle extreme summer heat.

Temperature Highs Across the State

Alongside Khajuraho, Ratlam logged 45.2 degrees Celsius and Dhar touched 45 degrees Celsius, placing both cities firmly in heatwave territory. At the other end of the scale, Pachmarhi — the state's only hill station — recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 19.4 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD bulletin, maximum temperatures remained largely stable over the past 24 hours but were appreciably above normal in the Indore and Ujjain divisions. Residents in those divisions also endured uncomfortable warm nights, a condition meteorologists classify separately from daytime heatwave alerts.

Districts on IMD Alert

The IMD has placed several districts under continued heatwave warnings, including Guna, Rajgarh, and Gwalior. In Bhopal and surrounding areas, partly cloudy skies are expected, though temperatures are likely to hover around 43 degrees Celsius. Authorities warn that temperatures could climb a further two to three degrees Celsius over the next three days, deepening the crisis.

Isolated Rain, Hailstorms Offer Partial Relief

Despite the dominant heat, isolated weather events brought brief respite to some corners of the state. The Jabalpur and Shahdol divisions received isolated rainfall, with Khairlanji recording 11.2 mm of rain. Seoni reported hailstorms, Satna witnessed a dust storm, and strong gusty winds — reaching up to 52 kmph in Chitrakoot — were recorded across several locations. These events, while dramatic, have not materially broken the heatwave pattern.

Advisories for Residents and Farmers

Authorities have urged residents to stay hydrated and avoid direct sunlight between noon and 3 pm. Farmers have been separately advised to undertake frequent irrigation and adopt mulching techniques to shield crops from the intensifying heat. With the state administration on alert, officials are monitoring conditions closely as the mercury is expected to climb further before any significant relief arrives.

This comes amid a broader pattern of early and intense summer heat across central and western India in 2026, with the IMD tracking above-normal temperatures in multiple states. The Madhya Pradesh episode underscores the growing frequency of prolonged heatwave events in the region.