Heat grips Madhya Pradesh, 28 cities reel under 40°C-plus temperatures

The heat has tightened its grip across Madhya Pradesh. For the first time this season, temperatures crossed 44 degrees Celsius on Friday in several cities. The worst-hit areas were Khajuraho, Guna, and Naugaon, where the mercury touched or exceeded 44 degrees. Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Ujjain, and Jabalpur also recorded the hottest day of the season so far.

According to the Meteorological Department, hot winds and strong sunlight have driven up temperatures across the state. The heat builds rapidly after noon and continues into the night, making even evenings uncomfortable.

Chhatarpur district was the hottest in the state. Khajuraho recorded 44.6 degrees, Naugaon 44 degrees, and Guna 44.3 degrees. Other districts saw similar spikes. Ratlam, Sagar, and Sidhi reported 43.8 degrees, Damoh 43.6 degrees, and Satna and Shajapur 43.1 degrees. Rewa and Narmadapuram followed with 42.6 degrees, while Tikamgarh saw 42.3 degrees.

In Shivpuri and Raisen, temperatures reached 42 degrees. Mandla also touched 42 degrees, Dhar hit 41.9, and Umaria stood at 41.7 degrees. Khargone, Malajkhand, Seoni, Betul, Khandwa, and Chhindwara all crossed the 40-degree mark.

Major cities also experienced peak heat. Gwalior recorded 43 degrees, Ujjain 42.8, Bhopal 42.2, Jabalpur 42.1, and Indore 41.7 degrees. This marked the first time this season that 28 cities reported 40 degrees or higher.

Meteorologist Abhijit Chakraborty said the heat will continue for three more days. After that, temperatures may drop slightly.

The third week of April is expected to stay hot. North-western winds will keep night temperatures between 25 and 27 degrees. Day temperatures may stay between 42 and 44 degrees across the state. A heat wave could last two to three days. There may also be light rain in some parts.

In the fourth week, nights will get even warmer. Minimum temperatures may rise to 27–30 degrees. Cities like Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar, and Rewa could reach 45 degrees. Other regions, including Bhopal, Indore, and Ujjain, may see 41–44 degrees.

The first and second weeks of April brought both intense heat and rain. The first week saw temperatures 2–3 degrees above normal across divisions. Indore, Sagar, and Narmadapuram reached highs of 39–44 degrees. Ujjain, Bhopal, and Gwalior stayed around 41–42 degrees. Ratlam saw early signs of a heat wave.

The second week brought storms, hail, and rain to 80 percent of the state. Despite the rainfall, hot winds continued to drive temperatures up in many districts.

Looking ahead, weather experts predict more heat waves in April and May. Hot winds could blow for 30 to 35 days during this period. The next three months are likely to stay hot.

A 10-year temperature study backs this trend. In late April, cities like Bhopal and Indore reached 43 degrees. Jabalpur saw 44 degrees and Gwalior went above 45. All four cities faced severe heat over the last three years. This year could follow the same pattern.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

'Forever Chemicals' found in all the world's toilet paper

Trump shuts down staff helping families pay heating bills

Full list of words banned by Trump, including ‘Climate Change'

Oil companies seek Trump's help to fight climate lawsuits & regulations

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel