Thunderstorms tore through more than 30 Madhya Pradesh districts Wednesday night, dropping temperatures by as much as 18 degrees in hours and setting the stage for a delayed monsoon that forecasters now expect between June 20 and 22.
The India Meteorological Department issued alerts for 39 districts on Thursday, warning of winds up to 60 kmph and hail in Neemuch, Sheopur, Morena, Tikamgarh, and Chhatarpur.
Bhopal saw drizzle and strong winds from early morning. Raisen, Sehore, and Narmadapuram also received rain. In Piparia, heavy rain ran from midnight past 1 a.m. In Raisen district, temperatures fell from 40°C to 22°C within 24 hours.
Despite the storms, parts of the state remained dangerously hot. Ratlam recorded the state’s highest temperature at 42°C on Wednesday. Khargone hit 41.8°C, Rajgarh 40.6°C, and Khajuraho and Sagar both touched 40.3°C.
In the major cities, Jabalpur reached 39.8°C, Bhopal 39.4°C, Ujjain 39.5°C, Gwalior 38.9°C, and Indore 38.5°C.
Monsoon Delayed by Up to a Week
The southwest monsoon normally enters Madhya Pradesh on June 15 from the south. This year, the department projects arrival between June 20 and 22 — five to seven days late.
Meteorologists attribute the delay to a persistent trough line and western disturbance currently driving pre-monsoon activity. The monsoon entered on June 16 in 2025, one day behind schedule.
The department projects monsoon-season rainfall at 90 percent of normal this year.
The Nautapa period — May 25 to June 2 — brought nine consecutive days of storms, rain, and hail across the state. Temperatures stayed below 40°C in most cities for the final three days, offering rare relief from what had been a punishing May.
Khajuraho crossed 47°C during the month’s peak heat. Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Ujjain all recorded sharp temperature spikes. In Bhopal, it rained during Nautapa in nine of the past 14 years — this year included.
May also ended wetter than usual. Roughly 4.5 inches of rain fell against a normal of about 1.5 inches — 56 percent above average.
What the Next Four Days Look Like
The weather department forecasts continued thunderstorms and rain through June 7. No heatwave alert is in effect anywhere in the state.
Winds of up to 50 kmph and rain are expected across 33 districts in the Ujjain, Jabalpur, Sagar, and Rewa divisions on Thursday.
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