Madhya Pradesh is seeing a brief pause in the sharp cold that gripped the state for two weeks. The last week of November brings some relief, even as weather experts warn that December will hit hard again. A layer of clouds, formed due to a cyclonic system, has slowed the drop in night temperature but pushed down the day temperature across many districts.
Light clouds covered Bhopal for the third day on Monday. The city recorded a day temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius. Meteorologist Arun Sharma said, “Cold wave will not be anywhere in the state for the next four days.” He explained that the cloud cover has cooled the day and kept the nights steady for now.
Several cities showed a similar pattern. Malajkhand in Balaghat recorded 25 degrees Celsius. Raisen reached 26.6 degrees, Sheopur 26.2 degrees and Datia 26.4 degrees. Sharma said the clouds are blocking daytime warmth, but the night temperature is not falling further at the moment.
This break comes after a rare cold spell earlier in the month. The state began feeling strong winter winds from November 6, far earlier than usual. The first sharp cold normally arrives in the second half of November. This year, early snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir pulled cold winds down to the plains.
The impact was strong in Bhopal, where the cold wave lasted 15 straight days. Records show that the city saw its coldest November day since 1931. The night temperature also touched 5.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest ever recorded in the city for the month. Indore also broke a 25-year record.
The pattern shifted this week. The wind direction changed, cutting off icy winds from the north. As a result, the cold wave faded across the state. For the last three days, no district has reported cold-wave conditions. The weather office expects similar conditions for the next four days. The break will be short. The first week of December is expected to bring a fresh phase of bitter cold.
Even with the relief, cities saw sharp changes at night. Bhopal’s night temperature rose by 4.6 degrees in one day and reached 14 degrees. Indore recorded 12.8 degrees, Gwalior 10.6 degrees, Ujjain 15 degrees and Jabalpur 14.5 degrees. Naugaon, Narsinghpur, Rajgarh and Rewa stayed below 10 degrees.
Fog has now become another challenge. Bhopal remained foggy throughout the day on Monday. Visibility fell to 1 to 2 kilometers in the morning and stayed limited at 4 to 5 kilometers later. Dense fog covered Pachmarhi, Narmadapuram, Rewa, Satna and Shajapur.
The weather office asked people to stay alert during early-morning travel. It advised slow driving and the use of fog lights. Doctors urged people to keep the head, neck, fingers and toes covered while stepping out in the cold. They suggested visiting a doctor if symptoms of flu appear and eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C. Farmers were advised to sow wheat, gram and mustard only where soil moisture is adequate. Experts also asked farmers not to burn leftover crop stubble.
Two deaths in the state have raised concern. A man was found dead on the roadside near the hospital intersection in Rewa’s Amahia police station area. Another man had died earlier in Raisen. Families claimed that both deaths were caused by cold. The administration has not confirmed this.
Key city temperatures and forecasts
| City | Temperature (°C) | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Bhopal | 26.4 (day), 14 (night) | Cloudy, no cold wave |
| Indore | 12.8 (night) | Clear sky, mild nights |
| Gwalior | 10.6 (night) | Cool, light fog |
| Ujjain | 15 (night) | Stable nights, fog in morning |
| Jabalpur | 14.5 (night) | Light fog, steady cold |
| Malajkhand | 25 (day) | Cloudy |
| Raisen | 26.6 (day) | Cloudy |
| Sheopur | 26.2 (day) | Cloudy |
| Datia | 26.4 (day) | Cloudy |
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