Dense fog covered Madhya Pradesh on Saturday morning, reducing visibility to just 20 meters in several districts and forcing vehicles to crawl along highways with headlights on well past sunrise.
The thick blanket of fog persisted even after 9 am in Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Shajapur, and Dhar. The weather department has issued warnings for continued foggy conditions over the next three days, followed by an intensifying cold wave.
Sehore recorded the densest fog of the season. The cold proved so severe that dewdrops froze on spider webs clinging to roadside trees and small plants. In Shajapur, visibility dropped to 50 meters as cold winds swept through the region, making roads slippery with dew.
Transportation networks felt the immediate impact. Trains traveling to Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and Gwalior faced delays of up to two hours on Friday morning. Major services including Malwa, Shatabdi, and Sachkhand Express running from Delhi experienced significant disruptions.
Weather Expert Explains the Pattern
Dr. Divya E. Surendran, senior weather scientist, explained the unusual weather pattern. “This time there was no rain anywhere in the state in December. The weather was clear. Cold wave continued for 15 to 16 days in many districts including Bhopal, Indore. The weather will continue in January as well,” she said.
The meteorological department predicts the cold wave will persist for 15 to 20 days in January. The bitter cold season will begin in earnest during the second week and continue until month’s end. Light rainfall hit Gwalior on New Year’s Day, with more rain expected in Bhopal and Indore.
Friday marked an unusual development when daytime temperatures plummeted to night-like levels across the state. Datia recorded just 16.8 degrees Celsius as the maximum temperature. Guna and Naugaon reached only 17 degrees, while Gwalior barely touched 17.4 degrees.
The extreme cold forced residents to take unusual measures. In Chhatarpur, where the minimum temperature hit 13 degrees Celsius, people lit bonfires outside their homes. Even street dogs huddled near the flames seeking warmth.
Why It’s So Cold This Year
Weather experts attribute the severe cold to multiple factors. Snowfall in hilly states combined with western disturbance activity has amplified the chill in Madhya Pradesh. The jet stream, a powerful wind current flowing 12.6 kilometers above ground, reached speeds of 285 kilometers per hour, pushing cold air southward.
The winter season has already broken records. November proved the coldest in 84 years, while December shattered a 25-year record. Meteorologists predict January will follow this severe pattern.
The fog will continue affecting multiple districts over the coming days. January 4 warnings cover Gwalior, Shivpuri, Datia, Bhind, Morena, Sheopur, Rewa, Mauganj, Satna, Panna, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Maihar, Singrauli, Sidhi, Shahdol, and Umaria. By January 5, the impact will intensify in Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar, Rewa, and Shahdol divisions.
Night temperatures have risen slightly above 10 degrees in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Ujjain. However, Pachmarhi, Shivpuri, Tikamgarh, Rajgarh, Rewa, and Naugaon continue experiencing sub-10-degree temperatures.
Temperature and Weather Forecast
| City | Temperature (ยฐC) | Weather Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Mandla | 8.9 | Dense fog, severe cold |
| Mandu (Dhar) | 8.0 | Dense fog, cold wave |
| Umaria | 11.9 | Fog on highway, reduced traffic |
| Shajapur | 11.0 | Dense fog, visibility 50m |
| Chhatarpur | 13.0 | Freezing cold, clear |
| Bhopal | Above 10 | Dense fog continuing |
| Sehore | Not specified | Densest fog, 20m visibility |
| Raisen | Not specified | Cloudy, cold wave |
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