Madhya Pradesh is entering a second major spell of storms, with rain and thunderstorms forecast across nearly 40 districts from March 29 through March 31.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says a new weather system will activate on March 29, bringing the strongest impact on March 30 and 31. Winds may gust at 40 to 50 kilometres per hour alongside the rain.
Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, and Chambal divisions are all in the alert zone. Some districts will see drizzle as early as March 29, while the bulk of the rainfall arrives over the following two days.
Saturday will still bring harsh heat before the system moves in. Narmadapuram recorded 40 degrees Celsius on Friday, its fourth heatwave day in March alone. Hot, dry winds continued to push temperatures well above seasonal norms across much of the state.
Friday’s storm caught Chitrakoot in Satna off guard. Organisers had planned to light 21 lakh lamps for Ram Navami, but rain flooded most of them before the event could begin. Workers rushed to cover the main stage with tarpaulins.
March’s Third Weather Turnaround
This will be the third weather change in March. The first round of storms lasted four consecutive days, hitting more than 45 districts and bringing hail to 17 of them. Wheat, papaya, and banana crops suffered heavy losses. A second, weaker round came on March 27.
Looking further ahead, the IMD has warned that April and May could bring the worst heat in years. Mercury may cross 45 degrees in parts of Gwalior, Chambal, Jabalpur, Rewa, Shahdol, and Sagar divisions.
City-by-City Forecast
| City | Temperature (ยฐC) | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Narmadapuram | 40.0 | Heatwave continuing Saturday |
| Khajuraho | 39.6 | Rain expected by March 30 |
| Ratlam | 39.5 | Thunderstorms likely |
| Khandwa | 39.1 | Rain alert issued |
| Jabalpur | 38.2 | Storms from March 29 |
| Bhopal | 37.0 | Rain and thunder expected |
| Indore | 37.0 | Rain alert in effect |
| Ujjain | 37.0 | Rain alert in effect |
| Gwalior | 36.1 | Storm warning issued |
Residents across central India should expect rapid swings between scorching heat and violent storms over the coming week, with no sustained relief in sight before the monsoon season arrives.
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