Does Monsoon Rain Offer Relief from the Heatwave in MP?

Bhopal, June 12 (NationPress) Following a sweltering day beneath a relentless sun, Madhya Pradesh experienced a notable weather transformation on Wednesday evening. At approximately 9 p.m., gusty winds swept through Bhopal, leading to a refreshing shower that brought significant relief to the local populace.

In Tikamgarh’s Mau Ghat, thunder rumbled ominously as rain poured down, coupled with pea-sized hailstones, according to reports.

Analogous weather phenomena were observed in Vidisha and Raisen, where the oppressive heat finally gave way to much-needed rainfall. The India Meteorological Department has issued a new alert for lightning, moderate thunder, and rainfall across Burhanpur, Khandwa, Harda, Vidisha, Raisen, and Barwani. Nighttime thunderstorms are also expected in Bhopal, Indore, Dewas, Sagar, Shajapur, Sehore, Rajgarh, Dhar, and Harda. The onset of the monsoon appears imminent.

The Meteorological Department indicated that monsoon activities are gaining momentum and are anticipated to reach Madhya Pradesh between June 14 and 15, starting from the eastern districts—Mandla, Seoni, Dindori, Balaghat, and Anuppur—where the heaviest rainfall is projected. The entire state is expected to be enveloped in monsoon by June 20. Notably, this year’s monsoon is arriving ahead of schedule compared to last year's June 21 onset.

In the meantime, the pre-monsoon heat has remained severe.

On Wednesday, six cities reported temperatures surpassing 44 degrees Celsius. Naugaon in the Chhatarpur district was the hottest at 44.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Guna at 44.5 degrees Celsius, and both Gwalior and Shajapur at 44.2 degrees Celsius. Shivpuri and Tikamgarh also recorded temperatures of 44 degrees Celsius. Major urban areas faced extreme heat, with Bhopal at 42.6 degrees Celsius, Indore at 41.6 degrees Celsius, Ujjain at 42.8 degrees Celsius, and Jabalpur at 40.6 degrees Celsius. Khajuraho, Narmadapuram, and Narsinghpur recorded temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius.

A heatwave alert remains active for the Gwalior, Chambal, Ujjain, and Sagar divisions until June 12. While showers are forecasted from June 13 onward, heat is likely to persist in districts that remain dry. May brought a series of meteorological surprises, with Madhya Pradesh recording storms or rain every day of the month for the first time in history, according to weather experts.

Fifty-three districts, including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and Gwalior, received measurable rainfall, with Ujjain setting a new record for May with 111.8 mm.

“This unusual trend is attributed to persistent cyclonic circulation, western disturbances, and active trough systems that have influenced the state throughout May,” stated a meteorologist. These systems are expected to continue affecting the weather into mid-June, with storm and rain alerts valid through June 12.

Looking forward, while the advancing monsoon offers promise of relief, forecasters caution about a last surge of severe heat. Historical patterns indicate that pre-monsoon heatwaves are common in early June, particularly in the Gwalior-Chambal and western divisions. However, night temperatures are expected to drop by 8 to 10 degrees once the rains commence. In Bhopal, temperatures are predicted to remain elevated until June 15, according to the weather department.

Over the past decade, the capital has seen temperatures exceed 45 degrees Celsius in early June, with night lows plummeting to 17.4 degrees Celsius. In 2020, the city recorded 16 inches of rain in June; last year, it saw 10.9 inches, with five of those inches falling in one day. Recently, rainfall was recorded at isolated locations in the Indore, Jabalpur, and Shahdol divisions, while the remainder of the state remained dry.

A heatwave continued across Bhopal, Ratlam, Chhindwara, Khajuraho, Nowgong, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Guna, and Pachmarhi, with severe conditions observed in Narmadapuram. No significant changes in maximum temperatures were noted across divisions. The forecast anticipates thunderstorms with lightning and wind gusts reaching 40–50 km/h, along with heatwave conditions in isolated areas of Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, and Narmadapuram.

Similar weather is expected in parts of Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Barwani, Dewas, Shajapur, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, and Pandhurna.