Thunderstorms and heavy rain swept through much of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday night and into Monday, pulling down weather across dozens of districts and drenching crops and grain stored in open markets.
Satna recorded the highest single-district rainfall in 24 hours — over a quarter of an inch — while Datia received half an inch. Rain also fell in Shivpuri, Guna, Gwalior, Sheopur, Rewa, Seoni, Betul, Singrauli, Maihar, and Umaria.
Khandwa recorded the state’s lowest minimum temperature at 19°C, followed closely by Pachmarhi at 19.4°C. Damoh registered 21.8°C, Rewa 22°C, and Khargone and Chhindwara both 23.4°C.
In the state’s major cities, Bhopal recorded a minimum of 24.5°C, Gwalior 24.7°C, Jabalpur 24.7°C, Ujjain 26°C, and Indore 26.4°C.
Disruptions
In Maihar, authorities suspended the ropeway to Sharda Temple because of the bad weather. Strong winds struck Bhopal on Monday morning. In Shivpuri, rain continued through the day without a break.
The nine-day Nautapa period, typically the year’s most brutal heat, passed without the usual scorching temperatures this time. The state’s highest temperature on Sunday, the seventh day of Nautapa, was 41.4°C in Shajapur — well below the 47°C peak recorded in Khajuraho earlier in May. The tourist hill station of Pachmarhi was the coolest at 34.4°C. Major cities hovered between 36°C and 38°C.
May as a whole proved paradoxical. While Khajuraho smashed heat records, the state received roughly 56 percent more rainfall than the monthly average of 18 mm — around a quarter-inch more than normal — driven by near-daily thunderstorms and hailstorms during the final week of the month.
What comes next
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued thunderstorms, rain, and lightning across most of Madhya Pradesh from June 1 through June 4, which will keep both day and night temperatures below normal.
A red alert for hailstorms and heavy rain has been issued for Dhar and Khargone on Monday. Orange alerts cover Jhabua, Alirajpur, Barwani, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Harda, Betul, Chhindwara, and Pandhurna.
The monsoon’s formal arrival, normally expected around June 15, has been pushed back. Meteorologists now estimate it will reach the state between June 20 and June 22 — roughly a week later than usual. Rainfall for the June-September monsoon season is projected at around 90 percent of the long-term average.
“Even before the monsoon arrives, the active weather systems are doing the work of curbing the heat,” a Met department official said. “Residents should expect this pattern of storms and rain to continue for several more days.”
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