Bringing massive relief from the summer heat, the Southwest Monsoon has officially entered Madhya Pradesh after a delay of nine days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Wednesday that the northern limit of monsoon now passes directly through Indore and Mandla, marking its arrival in the State. In its initial surge, the monsoon has covered key southern and western districts, including Indore, Dhar, Betul, Khandwa, Khargone, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Seoni and Mandla. Weather scientists expect the monsoon to spread aggressively into remaining parts of Madhya Pradesh over the next hours as conditions remain highly favourable. Heavy rain, hail, and 60 kmph winds batter State: The entry of the monsoon, coupled with a cyclonic circulation over southeast Madhya Pradesh and an active Western Disturbance over Haryana, triggered volatile weather across the state. Widespread rain lashed the Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions, with Chand in Chhindwara recording the state’s highest rainfall at 75.2 mm, followed by Rahatgarh at 60.2 mm. A hailstorm was also reported in the Balaghat district. High-velocity gusty winds swept through multiple regions. Jabalpur clocked the highest wind speed at 56 kmph, closely followed by Narsinghpur (54 kmph) and Sehore (52 kmph). Temperature contrasts: Scorching east versus cooling west: The State witnessed a sharp contrast in temperatures due to partial monsoon coverage. While western regions cooled down, extreme heat persisted in the isolated eastern pockets. The Hotspots: Sidhi and Datia recorded the state’s highest maximum temperature at 41.2°C, with Prithvipur and Gwalior closely following at 41.0°C. A heatwave warning remains active for isolated places in Sidhi. The Cool Zones: Pachmarhi recorded the lowest maximum temperature at 30.2°C and the lowest minimum temperature at 19.8°C. Districts under the Indore division saw daytime temperatures plunge 1.6°C below normal. Capital residents witnessed a partially cloudy sky with temperatures staying pleasant. Bhopal recorded a maximum temperature of 32.2°C (3 degrees below normal) and a minimum of 24.4°C. The city has registered a total of 165.8 mm of rainfall since June 1. The city is expected to see a partly cloudy sky with thunderstorms, lightning, and light rain. Temperatures will hover around 33°C (Max) and 24°C (Min), accompanied by average wind speeds of 14 to 16 knots. The IMD has predicted rainfall or thunderstorms at a few places in Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Barwani, Dhar, Chhindwara and Pandhurna, and at isolated places across the rest of the state. Warnings: Orange Alert (Heavy Rain & 60 Kmph Winds): Isolated places in Betul, Chhindwara, and Pandhurna. Yellow Alert (Thunderstorms & 50-60 Kmph Winds): Isolated places in Sehore and Jabalpur. Yellow Alert (Thunderstorms & 40-50 Kmph Winds): Active for Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Indore, Ujjain, Guna, Ashoknagar, and 30 other districts.