Chilly conditions continue to persist across State

 

 

 

AFTER witnessing a sharp dip in temperatures over the past few days, Madhya Pradesh experienced a noticeable rise in temperatures during the last 24 hours. Weather remained dry across all divisions of the State, with no rainfall recorded anywhere. According to observations recorded at 8.30 am on Sunday, maximum temperatures rose appreciably by about 2.3 to 3.3 degrees Celsius in districts of Gwalior, Chambal and Rewa divisions, while no significant change was observed in the remaining divisions. In several parts of Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Shahdol and Sagar divisions, maximum temperatures were 1.6 to 2.7 degrees above normal, whereas they remained near normal elsewhere.

 

Minimum temperatures showed no major change across the State, indicating that nights are still cold, though the extreme chill has eased slightly. Minimum temperatures were below normal by about 1.8°C in Bhopal division, while Chambal division recorded minimum temperatures around 2.1°C above normal. Other regions reported near-normal night temperatures. The lowest minimum temperature in the state was recorded at Kalyanpur in Shahdol district at 4.8°C. Notably, Khajuraho, which had earlier recorded a lower minimum of 3.6°C, saw a rise in temperature, with the minimum now settling at 6.4°C, indicating a gradual easing of the cold wave conditions.

 

On the other end, Amarkantak (Anuppur) recorded the highest minimum temperature at 15.5°C. Day temperatures also reflected this warming trend. The highest maximum temperature of 30.5°C was recorded at Khandwa, followed by Narmadapuram at 30.2°C. The lowest daytime temperatures were observed at Amarkantak (18.8°C) and Morena (19.8°C). However, fog continued to affect visibility in several districts during early morning hours. Moderate fog was observed in Rajgarh district, while shallow fog was reported from Satna, Sidhi, Khajuraho, Datia, Gwalior, Ujjain and Ratlam.

 

The Meteorological Department has also warned of the possibility of moderate fog at isolated places in Rajgarh, Agar-Malwa, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Bhind, Morena and Sheopur districts, which may impact road, rail and air travel during late night and early morning hours. Weather experts explained that the current conditions are being influenced by strong westerly winds high up in the atmosphere over northeast India, known as the subtropical westerly jet stream. In addition, a western disturbance, which is a system of winds moving from west to east, is currently positioned far to the west and north of the state.

 

Since this system is not directly affecting Madhya Pradesh, the weather is expected to remain dry and largely stable, with no major change in temperatures in the coming 24 hours. In Bhopal and surrounding areas, the sky remained clear with light haze. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 26.4°C, which is 1.7°C above normal, while the minimum temperature dropped to 8°C, about 4.6°C below normal, indicating cold nights despite warmer days.

 

Morning humidity levels were high at 82 percent, contributing to haze and chill during early hours. Winds were light to moderate, blowing at 10–12 kmph. The forecast for Bhopal till Monday morning (January 12) suggests clear skies with haze, with temperatures likely to range around 28°C during the day and 9°C at night.