Even as ‘Nautapa’, the traditional nine-day period of peak summer heat, gripped central India with scorching intensity, a sudden and violent dust storm followed by heavy rain swept through the state capital on Wednesday afternoon, offering a dramatic but brief respite from the relentless heat before humidity soared once more. Strong winds and intense downpours brought large parts of Raipur to a standstill as trees were uprooted at several locations including the Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College (Pt. JNMMC) premises, Raipur Central Jail compound and Rajbandha Maidan, blocking roads and snapping electricity lines. Power supply collapsed in numerous localities and restoration work continued till late evening in several affected areas. Commuters remained stranded in traffic snarls as civic teams struggled to clear fallen trees and branches from key thoroughfares. The rain, however, ended as abruptly as it arrived, giving way to blinding sunshine and a sharp spike in humidity that left residents more uncomfortable than before. Despite the storm activity, temperatures across Chhattisgarh remained exceptionally elevated. According to the IMD Meteorological Centre, Raipur, the maximum temperature in Durg reached 45.5 degrees Celsius while Raipur recorded 43.6 degrees Celsius, which was 1.5 degrees above normal. The lowest minimum temperature in the State was recorded at 26.0 degrees Celsius in Ambikapur.

 

Heat wave conditions prevailed at isolated pockets of Central Chhattisgarh and the IMD warned that such conditions were likely to persist over the next two days with no significant change in maximum temperatures expected during this period. What made this season particularly alarming was the proximity to historic temperature records. Bilaspur continues to hold the State’s all-time and May heat record at 49.3 degrees Celsius recorded on May 23, 2017, followed by Janjgir-Champa at 48.4 degrees Celsius in 1984, Raipur at 47.9 degrees Celsius in 1988, Durg at 47.4 degrees Celsius in 1988 and Rajnandgaon at 46.7 degrees Celsius in 1989. The highest temperature this season so far was 47.4 degrees Celsius recorded at Bhilai on May 1988. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its May 27 bulletin, stated that a gradual fall of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius was expected over Chhattisgarh within the next three to five days. However, from May 29 onwards, the department forecast a marked increase in thunderstorm activity accompanied by gusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph, lightning and widespread rainfall across the State, while isolated hailstorm activity also remained possible. Meteorologists attributed the changing weather pattern to multiple active synoptic systems, including an upper-air cyclonic circulation over northwest Odisha extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level, a trough stretching from northwest Uttar Pradesh to south coastal Odisha and another north-south trough running from Bihar through Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh down to Telangana.

 

These systems are expected to drive the upcoming surge in precipitation and storm activity across the region. Meanwhile, the IMD has advised residents to avoid venturing outdoors between noon and 4 p.m., consume adequate water and wear light cotton clothing to guard against heat stroke. During thunderstorms, people have been urged to avoid trees, open grounds and metal structures and immediately seek shelter inside permanent buildings or hard-top vehicles.