Temp drops to 4.6°C in city; State records season’s lowest minimum of 2.9°C

 

 

 

 

Madhya Pradesh is heading into the New Year under the grip of intense cold, with temperatures dipping sharply across several regions of the State. Bhopal recorded a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours, while Mandsaur emerged as the coldest place in the state with the mercury plunging to 2.9 degrees Celsius. Cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Indore, Shajapur, Shahdol and Mandsaur districts, as per the Meteorological Department.

 

Weather remained dry across all divisions of the state during the past 24 hours, with no rainfall recorded anywhere. Maximum temperatures showed no significant change but remained appreciably below normal in Ujjain division by around 3.1 degrees Celsius and below normal by 1.9 to 2.7 degrees Celsius in parts of Indore, Rewa and Shahdol divisions. Minimum temperatures were also appreciably below normal by 3.6 to 4.3 degrees Celsius in Bhopal and Ujjain divisions.

 

Northern districts of the state remained under the influence of fog, with shallow fog reported in Datia and Satna districts, while moderate to dense fog conditions prevailed at isolated places in Gwalior, Datia, Bhind, Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Satna, Panna and Chhatarpur. Foggy conditions significantly reduced visibility during late night and early morning hours, affecting road and rail movement in several pockets. Among cities recording the lowest minimum temperatures, Mandsaur stood at 2.9°C, followed by Girvar in Shajapur at 3.1°C, Kalyanpur in Shahdol at 3.2°C, Rajgarh at 3.8°C and Bhopal and Nowgong at 4.6°C each. On the other hand, Kannod in Dewas recorded the highest minimum temperature at 12.4°C.

 

In terms of daytime temperatures, Khandwa recorded the highest maximum temperature at 28.1°C, while Chitrakoot in Satna remained the coolest during the day at 20.3°C. In Bhopal, the weather turned notably colder, with the minimum temperature settling at 4.6°C, which was about 6.1 degrees below normal. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 23.6°C, also below normal by 2.2 degrees. Morning humidity levels remained high at around 89 per cent, while evening humidity dropped to nearly 47 per cent.

 

Winds remained light to moderate, blowing at speeds of around 6 to 10 kmph, predominantly from the northwest, further enhancing the chill factor during early morning and night hours. Meteorological conditions responsible for the cold include an active western disturbance in the form of a trough in the middle tropospheric westerlies, with its axis located north of latitude 32°N. In addition, a strong subtropical westerly jet stream with core wind speeds of around 220 kmph at an altitude of 12.6 km above mean sea level is prevailing over northeast India.

 

Another fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region around December 30, the impact of which is expected to be felt over Madhya Pradesh within the next two to three days, potentially intensifying cold wave and fog conditions.

 

The Meteorological Department has issued warnings for cold wave conditions at isolated places in Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Indore, Shajapur, Mandsaur, Anuppur, Shahdol and Seoni districts. Dense fog is likely at isolated places in Singrauli, Sidhi, Rewa, Mauganj, Satna, Panna and Chhatarpur, while moderate fog may occur in Gwalior, Datia, Bhind, Umaria, Tikamgarh, Niwari and Maihar.

 

Residents have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during dense fog, drive cautiously with fog lights, and take adequate precautions against cold-related health issues. Farmers have been asked to protect crops from excess moisture due to prolonged fog and ensure proper shelter and care for livestock as cold conditions persist across the State.