Severe weather brought dense fog across large parts of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday morning, creating what locals described as a “blind morning” in Rewa and Satna districts. Visibility dropped to just 50 meters in these areas, making it nearly impossible to see beyond a short distance. The fog was so thick that even familiar landmarks disappeared from view.
The conditions brought daily life to a standstill across the affected regions. Motorists struggled to navigate roads, while pedestrians moved cautiously through the gray curtain of mist. The situation remained critical throughout the morning hours as the fog refused to lift.
The dense fog dealt a severe blow to rail operations across the state. More than a dozen trains were forced to slow down or halt completely as visibility made it unsafe to maintain normal speeds. The Malwa Express suffered the worst delay, running approximately four hours behind schedule.
Other major trains caught in the disruption included the prestigious Shatabdi Express, Sachkhand Express, Punjab Mail, and Jhelum Express. Railway authorities prioritized passenger safety over keeping to timetables, leading to cascading delays throughout the network. Passengers at stations faced long waits as officials worked to coordinate safe passage for delayed services.
Fog Spreads Across Multiple Districts
Beyond Rewa and Satna, dense fog covered a wide swath of Madhya Pradesh. Damoh, Khajuraho, Naugaon, Gwalior, Morena, and Sidhi all experienced heavy fog during morning hours. Visibility in these districts ranged between 50 meters and one kilometer, severely hampering movement and daily activities.
Lighter fog conditions also affected several other districts. Bhopal, Datia, Indore, Rajgarh, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Mandla, Guna, Raisen, Shivpuri, Sagar, Shajapur, Bhind, and Dhar all reported reduced visibility. While conditions in these areas were less severe, the fog still caused disruptions to traffic and normal routines.
The fog arrived alongside a punishing cold wave sweeping through Madhya Pradesh. Pachmarhi, the state’s only hill station, recorded the lowest temperature at 4.6 degrees Celsius. The hill station’s residents bundled up against the biting cold as mercury levels plunged well below comfortable levels.
Among the major cities, both Bhopal and Indore shivered at 8.8 degrees Celsius. Gwalior registered 11.3 degrees, Ujjain saw 11.4 degrees, and Jabalpur recorded 9 degrees. These temperatures marked some of the coldest conditions experienced in these urban centers this winter season.
Smaller towns and rural areas across Madhya Pradesh faced even more severe cold. Rewa recorded 5.6 degrees Celsius, while Kalyanpur in Shahdol district dropped to 5.9 degrees. Rajgarh and Khajuraho both registered 7 degrees, matching the temperature in Chitrakoot within Satna district.
Other towns reporting frigid conditions included Malajkhand at 7.4 degrees, Betul at 7.6 degrees, Naugaon at 7.6 degrees, and Khandwa at 8 degrees. Mandla saw 8.2 degrees, while Narsinghpur, Khargone, and Umaria all recorded 8.4 degrees. Damoh registered 8.5 degrees, Raisen 8.8 degrees, Sagar 8.9 degrees, Shivpuri 9 degrees, and Datia 9.5 degrees Celsius.
Western Disturbances Drive Extreme Cold
The Meteorological Department explains that December and January typically bring the coldest weather to Madhya Pradesh, just as June and July deliver the heaviest monsoon rains. These two winter months receive the strongest influx of cold winds from North India, causing sharp temperature drops across the state.
Strong western disturbances have affected North India throughout December. These weather systems push cold northern winds deep into Madhya Pradesh, causing both daytime and nighttime temperatures to plunge. The activation of western disturbances also triggers “Mavtha” conditions, intensifying daytime cold and making the chill more penetrating.
Weather data from the past decade shows this pattern repeating consistently. However, this year’s western disturbances have proven particularly strong and persistent. The result has been an extended cold wave with severe conditions affecting virtually every corner of the state.
Temperature Across Madhya Pradesh
| City | Temperature (°C) | Weather Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Pachmarhi | 4.6 | Cold, clear |
| Rewa | 5.6 | Dense fog, cold |
| Kalyanpur | 5.9 | Cold wave |
| Rajgarh | 7.0 | Severe cold, fog |
| Khajuraho | 7.0 | Dense fog |
| Chitrakoot | 7.0 | Cold conditions |
| Malajkhand | 7.4 | Cold |
| Betul | 7.6 | Cold |
| Satna | 8.0 | Dense fog, cold |
| Bhopal | 8.8 | Fog, cold |
| Indore | 8.8 | Cold wave |
| Jabalpur | 9.0 | Fog |
| Gwalior | 11.3 | Dense fog |
| Ujjain | 11.4 | Cold, fog |
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