Heat intensifies in Madhya Pradesh; temperatures cross 40°C in 20 cities

The heat has intensified across Madhya Pradesh, with 20 cities recording temperatures above 40°C. Bhopal reached 41.1°C on Thursday, marking a sharp rise in temperatures. Cities like Indore, Gwalior, and Ujjain also saw temperatures exceed 40°C for the first time this summer season. In some places, the temperature rose by over 3°C compared to previous days.

The Meteorological Department has advised people to avoid stepping out between 12 noon and 4 pm, as the sun is strongest during these hours, accompanied by hot winds. It is recommended to stay hydrated, eat light, and wear cotton clothes.

Narmadapuram recorded the highest temperature of 43.6°C, followed by Ratlam at 43.2°C. Other cities like Guna, Shajapur, and Narsinghpur also experienced temperatures above 42°C. Gwalior, one of the larger cities, recorded a temperature of 42°C, while Bhopal, Indore, and Ujjain had slightly lower temperatures.

Heavy rain in Shajapur brought temporary relief, though temperatures there remained above 42°C before the rain. The weather is expected to remain the same for the next five days, with no heatwave alert issued yet. Meteorologist VS Yadav confirmed that the heat is not only increasing during the day but also at night.

Looking ahead, the third week of April will see temperatures between 42°C and 44°C across most of the state. Heatwaves may occur for 2 to 3 days. The fourth week could see temperatures rise further, reaching 43°C to 45°C in Gwalior, Chambal, and Rewa divisions. The rest of the state, including Indore and Bhopal, may experience temperatures between 41°C and 44°C. A heatwave is expected to continue for 3 to 4 days in the last week of April.

The first and second weeks of April brought a mix of intense heat and rainfall. While the entire state experienced temperatures 2 to 3 degrees higher than normal, the second week brought strong storms and rainfall to 80% of the state. Despite this, some areas continued to be affected by the heat.

As the summer progresses into April and May, the state will face more intense heat. The weather department predicts heatwaves for 15 to 20 days until May, with hot winds blowing for 30 to 35 days in total. Data from the past decade shows that temperatures in cities like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, and Gwalior often exceed 43°C in late April. The heat this year is expected to follow a similar trend, with an increase in temperatures over the coming weeks.

In Bhopal, the hottest year on record was 1996, when the temperature reached 44.4°C. Bhopal also experienced heavy rainfall that year. The city has seen significant rainfall in April in recent years, and there are expectations for more thunderstorms and rain this month, offering a slight respite from the heat.

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