Cold weather grips Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal at 7°C, Indore shivers at 8.4°C

In Bhopal Madhya Pradesh people woke up to sharp cold weather for the third straight day. The minimum touched 7 degrees Celsius. The chill did not ease even after the sun rose. People lit bonfires at street corners and sat close to them, waiting for some relief.

Indore and Gwalior recorded 8.4 degrees. Jabalpur stayed at 8.6 degrees. Kalyanpur in Shahdol district remained the coldest spot in the state for the second night at 4.3 degrees. Pachmarhi was not far behind at 5.4 degrees.

Meteorologist Arun Sharma said the state will not warm up soon. “Cold day alert is active in Indore, Shajapur and Dhar. Bhopal will see another day of cold wave,” he said. He added that icy winds rolling down from the north are pushing the temperature below normal through day and night.

Cold weather grips Madhya Pradesh

Fog reduced visibility in Indore. Roads stayed thin with traffic. Only a few riders wrapped in mufflers and jackets paced through.

The Meteorological Department said western disturbance over the Himalayan belt has triggered snow across Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. These snowy winds are moving straight into Madhya Pradesh. “The northern flow is strong, so cities in Gwalior, Chambal, Bhopal and Ujjain divisions feel the direct punch,” Sharma said.

Cold day conditions were also reported in Shajapur and Betul. Shahdol remained under cold wave on Sunday. Night temperatures stayed below 10 degrees in Umaria, Rajgarh, Rewa, Mandla, Khajuraho, Narsinghpur, Shivpuri, Raisen, Betul, Satna, Sidhi, Damoh and Sheopur.

Senior scientist Dr. Divya E. Surendran explained the pattern in early winter. “Snow began in the first week of November in the mountains. That set the drift of cold winds earlier than usual,” she said. She noted that wind direction shifted in late November but the fresh western disturbance has brought the freeze back.

Retired meteorological centre director D. P. Dubey pointed to a wider trigger. “La Niña conditions mean colder Pacific waters. That feeds colder air masses toward central India,” he said.

No major relief

Forecast models show no major relief for at least two days. The next disturbance over Pakistan will push more snowfall into the northern range, which will keep winds from the north driving into central India.

Cold wave has not been limited to nights. Daytime readings also dipped 4 to 6 degrees below normal in cities like Bhopal, Ujjain and Ratlam. Farmers near Vidisha said dew stayed longer on fields. “The crop looks frozen till late morning,” said wheat grower Shyam Patel.

Bhopal broke an 84-year record in November. The temperature on November 17 had dropped to 5.2 degrees, the coldest recorded since 1931. Indore logged its coldest late November night in 25 years at 6.4 degrees.

The weather office expects December to stay harsh. Northern winds will remain dominant. Divisions of Gwalior, Chambal and Ujjain are likely to record the steepest drop. In January, cold wave days may stretch up to three weeks.

Even in mid-morning, shop shutters in Bhopal stayed half closed to block gusts. In Gwalior, families gathered around wood fires in lanes. Students walking to tuition classes covered their faces with scarves.

The chill has gripped daily life, slowed markets and pushed many indoors before sunset. Residents wait for a break, but forecasts suggest the freeze will continue.

Temperature city wise

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