Heavy Rains Pause in Madhya Pradesh, Light Showers Expected

The spell of heavy rainfall has ended in Madhya Pradesh for now. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said there is no heavy rain alert for the next four days, as no strong weather system is currently active over the region.

Dr. Divya E. Surendran, senior scientist at IMD, confirmed the change in weather. “There was rain in some districts on Thursday, but there is no alert for heavy rain anywhere for the next four days,” she said. “Once the system becomes active again, we can expect another round of heavy showers.”

On Thursday, light rain was reported in more than 15 districts, including Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Indore, and Ujjain. Other districts such as Betul, Datia, Guna, Damoh, Pachmarhi, and Balaghat also received scattered showers. No region recorded heavy or very heavy rainfall during the day.

Since the start of the monsoon on June 16, Madhya Pradesh has received an average of 28 inches of rainfall. That amounts to about 74 percent of the seasonal target of 37 inches. In fact, 10 districts, such as Gwalior, Rajgarh, Shivpuri, Tikamgarh, and Sheopur, have already met or exceeded their rainfall quota. In these areas, rainfall is more than 50 percent above the normal range.

Tikamgarh and Niwari are the wettest districts so far, while Indore has received the least amount of rain. Bhopal and Jabalpur have only received about half of the expected rainfall for the season.

Still, the overall rainfall numbers have improved sharply in July. IMD records show the state has received 241.9 mm of rain since June 1. Though this is still below the normal level of 432.2 mm, the gap has narrowed significantly due to active monsoon patterns in recent weeks.

The IMD expects light to moderate rainfall to continue across most parts of the state on Friday. Districts like Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Gwalior, and Jabalpur may see intermittent showers. While the overall intensity is expected to drop, isolated areas, particularly in eastern and western Madhya Pradesh, may receive heavier rainfall.

There is a fresh warning for Datia district. The IMD has forecast rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm along with winds reaching 30 to 50 km/h. Thunderstorms are also possible. In response, the Datia district administration has declared a holiday in all schools and Anganwadi centers on August 1. The order was issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

District Collector of Datia took the step to ensure public safety. "Keeping in mind the IMD’s warning, we have ordered closure of schools to protect children and residents," said an official from the administration.

Meanwhile, other districts like Guna, Sheopur, and Vidisha are also under watch for heavy rainfall on Friday. Cloudy weather is expected to persist in many parts of the state, with occasional thunder and rain likely.

Dr. Surendran noted that the state will continue to see rain activity during the first week of August, but the intensity is likely to remain moderate unless a new system develops.

While the break from heavy rain comes as a relief to many, residents in flood-prone areas are still keeping a close eye on daily forecasts. The situation could change quickly if another low-pressure system builds over the Bay of Bengal.

Support usto keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Indore Startup Swaaha takes the lead in making Amarnath Yatra eco-friendly

Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events

Amarnath yatra pilgrims urinating in Sindh river: A threat to environment

Amarnath Yatra 2023: IMD operationalizes Banihal Doppler weather radar to detect high-impact weather events

Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.

Follow us onX,Instagram, andFacebook; share your thoughts at [email protected]; subscribe to our weekly newsletter for deep dives from the margins; join ourWhatsApp communityfor real-time updates; and catch our video reports on YouTube.

Your support amplifies voices too often overlooked—thank you for being part of the movement.