Madhya Pradesh faces severe weather disruption as thunderstorms and hailstorms swept through multiple districts on Tuesday. The unusual winter weather has prompted authorities to issue alerts for 14 districts and close schools in several areas.
The state meteorological department attributes the volatile conditions to an active cyclonic circulation and trough system over Haryana. This weather pattern has brought heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and dense fog to various parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Heavy hail fell across Ujjain, Sagar, Agar-Malwa, and Shajapur districts on Tuesday evening. The hailstones, described as plum-sized in some areas, flattened standing wheat crops in agricultural regions. Farmers in Ujjain’s Tarana and Ghattiya areas reported significant damage to their fields.
Gwalior recorded 21.4 millimeters of rainfall by Tuesday evening. The continuous rain and dropping temperatures forced district administrators to declare holidays for all schools up to class 8 on Wednesday. Shivpuri district followed suit with similar closures.
Heavy rainfall also hit Bhopal, Indore, Dewas, and Khandwa. In Ratlam, Shajapur, and Agar, strong thunderstorms destroyed crops standing in fields. Roads flooded in multiple locations as drainage systems struggled to cope with the sudden downpour.
14 Districts Face Weather Alert
The meteorological department has issued thunderstorm and rain alerts for Wednesday across 14 districts. These include Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Niwari, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Maihar, Rewa, Mauganj, Sagar, and Damoh.
Additional districts may experience cloudy conditions. Sheopur, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Sidhi, Singrauli, Katni, Umaria, Shahdol, Neemuch, and Mandsaur remain under watch for possible weather deterioration.
Wind speeds reached 70 kilometers per hour in some areas on Tuesday night. Lightning accompanied the hailstorms in Bhind, Datia, and eastern Shivpuri. Moderate thunderstorms struck Morena, Gwalior, Niwari, and Tikamgarh during nighttime hours.
Wednesday morning brought moderate to dense fog across northern Madhya Pradesh. Visibility dropped significantly in Gwalior, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Tikamgarh, Morena, Bhind, Datia, and surrounding districts.
In Rewa, fog became so thick that visibility fell below 50 meters. Central districts including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Raisen, and Sehore also experienced foggy conditions. After rain in Sehore, dense fog blanketed the area through morning hours.
Temperature Drops Expected
The meteorological department predicts temperatures will fall by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius following the rain and cold wave. Night temperatures in many cities will likely drop below 10 degrees Celsius again.
Rajgarh recorded the coldest temperature on Sunday-Monday night at 6.6 degrees Celsius. Datia and Shivpuri registered 8 degrees, while Pachmarhi recorded 8.2 degrees. Among major cities, Gwalior was coldest at 7.8 degrees. Bhopal recorded 11.2 degrees, Indore 12.2 degrees, and Ujjain 12 degrees.
Weather experts indicate another system will become active over northwest India on January 30. This system will likely affect Madhya Pradesh two to three days later, bringing more rainfall in early February.
The unusual winter precipitation follows a pattern seen in previous years. Meteorological data shows December and January typically bring severe cold and significant temperature drops due to cold winds from northern India.
Weather Forecast
| City | Temperature (ยฐC) | Weather Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Gwalior | 7.8 | Thunderstorms, heavy rain, school closures |
| Bhopal | 11.2 | Light drizzle, dense fog expected |
| Indore | 12.2 | Light drizzle, cloudy conditions |
| Ujjain | 12.0 | Heavy rain, hailstorms, crop damage |
| Sagar | 15.0 | Thunderstorm alert, hailstorms likely |
| Jabalpur | 13.6 | Moderate fog, possible rain |
| Rajgarh | 6.6 | Coldest district, fog conditions |
| Shivpuri | 8.0 | Heavy rain, hail, school closures |
| Datia | 8.0 | Thunderstorm alert, severe cold |
| Rewa | Not specified | Dense fog (50m visibility), rain alert |
Residents across affected districts should remain alert and follow safety guidelines during thunderstorms.
Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.
Keep Reading
Small Wild Cats in Big Trouble: Indiaโs First National Report Released
After Tragedy, Families Face Delays in Tiger Attack Compensation
Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.
