Rain and heat alert across 40 Madhya Pradesh districts till May 6, says IMD

On Friday, rain with thunder and lightning hit Morena and Bhind in Madhya Pradesh. Gwalior also saw light showers in the morning. This brought down the day temperature, giving temporary relief from the rising heat. But the weather across the state remains unstable.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert for 40 districts, including Bhopal, Gwalior, and Jabalpur. The warning is in place for Saturday, with the forecast showing similar conditions until May 6. Seven districts in the eastern part of the state—Satna, Maihar, Katni, Umaria, Shahdol, Dindori, and Anuppur—may also see hailstorms.

People in Bhopal, Guna, Shivpuri, Sagar, and Rewa should prepare for thunderstorms. In places like Indore, Ujjain, Barwani, Khandwa, and Khargone, the heat continues. Ratlam was the hottest on Friday with a day temperature of 44.2°C. Other cities also saw high temperatures: 43.6°C in Narsinghpur, 43.1°C in Khandwa, and 41.6°C in Bhopal. Even Indore, known for milder heat, reached 41.4°C.

Senior meteorologist Dr. Divya E. Surendran explained the cause behind this pattern. “Due to the activation of cyclonic circulation and western disturbance, hailstorm and rain is continuing in Madhya Pradesh,” she said. “Such weather will continue for the next few days.” The mix of two systems is pulling in moisture and triggering storm activity.

Friday’s weather showed how divided the state is. While the northern and eastern districts dealt with rain, the western and southern districts struggled with dry heat. Bhind and Morena had heavy rainfall. Gwalior saw lighter showers that cooled down the region. In contrast, the heat in Indore and Ujjain divisions was intense.

The month of May has started on an unpredictable note. Normally, this is when the state sees its hottest days. In past years, temperatures in several districts have climbed to 47–48°C. Cities like Khajuraho and Naugaon in Chhatarpur, and Prithvipur in Niwari, could see temperatures nearing those levels again.

Districts such as Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Bhind, Datia, Raisen, and Vidisha are expected to face temperatures above 45°C in the coming days. Meanwhile, Bhopal and Indore may hover around 44°C. Gwalior could peak between 46 and 47°C, making it one of the hottest places in the state.

The IMD warns that this May will be hotter than usual for most of the country. Northern, central, and western states—including Madhya Pradesh—may face between two and seven days of heatwave conditions. These are above the average figures. The heat will be more severe in areas like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, but MP remains in the danger zone.

At the same time, there is some relief in sight. Scattered rain and thunderstorms are expected across northern, central, and eastern India during May. This will help control the rising temperatures to an extent. A new western disturbance is expected to affect Delhi, NCR, and parts of the western Himalayas from May 2. It will bring gusty winds, rain, and more storms, with wind speeds reaching up to 50 kmph.

The IMD has estimated that average rainfall in India for May will be around 70 mm. This is about 10% more than the usual 64 mm. The extra rain is due to the active weather systems now in place, particularly in central and northern India.

April already gave a preview of what’s to come. It started hot, with temperatures across divisions like Indore, Sagar, and Narmadapuram reaching 39–44°C. Ratlam recorded heatwave conditions in the first week. During the second week, strong storms, hail, and rain hit 80% of the state. By the third week, northwestern winds pushed up both day and night temperatures.

Since April 25, rain and storms have returned across many districts. These have helped lower the day temperature in some areas but haven’t ended the risk of intense heat elsewhere.

So far, the weather in Madhya Pradesh has been swinging between extremes. You might wake up to rain and cool winds, but by afternoon the sun beats down hard again. This mix of heat and storms is unsettling and makes planning the day tricky.

As of now, the safest approach is to stay alert to daily updates. If you live in a district under rain alert, watch for changing skies and possible storms. If you’re in the heat-affected zones, try to stay indoors during the hottest hours. Drink water often and avoid direct sunlight when possible.

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