Madhya Pradesh is in the grip of a powerful weather system that has brought thunderstorms, heavy rain, and hailstorms across the state for the past three days, and forecasters warn the turbulence is not over yet.
The India Meteorological Department has issued rain alerts for 30 districts on Thursday, including major cities like Bhopal and Indore. Residents in Dhar, Barwani, and Jhabua in the Nimar region face an additional threat: hailstorms capable of damaging crops and property.
Thunderstorm winds in Chhindwara, Seoni, and Pandhurna are expected to reach speeds between 40 and 50 kilometres per hour. The remaining districts under alert can expect gusts of 30 to 40 kmph.
On Wednesday, the weather shifted sharply across half the state. Bhopal saw rain accompanied by thunderstorms. In Sehore, hail battered the district alongside the downpour. Districts stretching from Indore and Ujjain in the west to Jabalpur and Mandla in the east all reported significant weather changes within hours.
Heat Despite the Rain
Despite the storms, temperatures in parts of the state remained unusually high. Narmadapuram recorded the highest temperature of 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Ratlam touched 39.2 degrees, while Mandla reached 39 degrees.
| City | Temperature (ยฐC) | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Narmadapuram | 40.0 | Thunderstorm, rain alert |
| Ratlam | 39.2 | Thunderstorm, rain alert |
| Mandla | 39.0 | Rain, weather change |
| Khajuraho | 38.6 | Rain likely |
| Jabalpur | 38.4 | Rain, thunderstorm |
| Bhopal | 37.4 | Rain, thunderstorm alert |
| Indore | 36.5 | Rain alert |
| Gwalior | 36.1 | Rain alert |
| Ujjain | 35.6 | Rain alert |
What Is Driving the Chaos
The meteorological department attributes the disruption to a cyclonic circulation and trough currently active over the state, compounded by two additional cyclonic systems in the northwest. This combination is driving the persistent and widespread round of storms.
The unsettled weather is expected to continue through early April. A fresh western disturbance is set to arrive around April 7, which will bring further thunderstorms to some areas through April 10. After that system clears, forecasters say summer will reassert itself with force.
The second half of April is projected to be intense. Temperatures in Gwalior, Dhar, Khargone, Barwani, and Naugaon-Khajuraho could climb between 44 and 45 degrees Celsius. Warm winds sweeping through the southern and western parts of the state typically push those regions to extremes during April and May.
This season has already seen unusually frequent disruptions. The weather changed four times each in February and March, bringing hailstorms that damaged wheat, papaya, and banana crops across more than 45 districts. The government launched crop survey operations in affected areas following each episode.
April and May traditionally mark the peak of Madhya Pradesh’s summer. This year, the mercury crossed 41 degrees Celsi
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