A RED alert has been issued for isolated places in Chhindwara district as an aggressive revival of the monsoon triggers extremely heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, lightning, and highspeed gusty winds up to 40 km/h. Concurrently, a stern orange warning for very heavy rainfall and gusty winds has been sounded for isolated locations across Narmadapuram, Betul, Seoni, and Pandhurna districts. Leading the deluge over the last 24 hours, Maksudangarh recorded the State’s highest rainfall at a staggering 174.0 mm. It was followed closely by Kumbhraj and Jaisingh Nagar at 130.0 mm each, Goharganj at 128.0 mm, and Sultanpur at 122.0 mm. Heavy downpours also battered Budhni (114.0 mm), Narmadapuram (105.6 mm), Pohri (103.0 mm), Rehti (84.2 mm), Berasia (82.2 mm), Shamshabad (75.0 mm), Pachore (74.0 mm), Sohagpur (73.0 mm), Budhar (71.0 mm), Lalburra (70.3 mm), and Baihar (70.0 mm). The widespread precipitation brought a sharp plunge in day temperatures across the state. Maximum temperatures plummeted markedly by 4.8°C in Bhopal division, settling 3.7°C to 4.7°C below seasonal norms. Daytime temperatures also dropped appreciably by 2.4°C to 3.9°C in Indore, Ujjain, and Chambal divisions, hovering 2.1°C to 2.2°C below normal. Seoni recorded the state’s lowest maximum temperature at 25.2°C, while Khajuraho registered the highest at 34.3°C. For night temperatures, Khandwa logged the state’s lowest minimum at 19.4°C, while Gwalior was the highest at 26.7°C.

 

Accompanying the torrential downpours were powerful winds reaching 52 km/h in Raisen and 33 km/h in both Sehore and Jabalpur. Thunderstorm and lightning activity affected almost every district across the state except Morena. Meteorologists trace this active spell to an upper air cyclonic circulation over central parts of north MP extending up to 7.6 km, the monsoon trough running across Guna and Damoh, an east-west shear zone along 22°N latitude, and a Western Disturbance interacting over northern latitudes. Looking ahead, rain or drizzle with thunderstorms is forecast at most places in Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, Ratlam, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Agar, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Guna, Ashoknagar, Chhindwara, Seoni, and Pandhurna. Heavy rain alerts also cover isolated parts of Raisen, Dhar, Ratlam, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Mandsaur, Guna, Ashoknagar, Narsinghpur, Mandla, and Balaghat. In Bhopal, the sky will stay generally cloudy with thunderstorms, lightning, and rain expected throughout the day. Maximum and minimum temperatures are projected at 27°C and 24°C respectively, with average wind speeds between 12 and 14 km/h.