Rain & thunderstorms disrupt Nautapa heat in Madhya Pradesh: Alert for 40 districts

This year, Madhya Pradesh is seeing thunderstorms and rain instead of extreme heat during the Nautapa period, which started on May 25 and will continue till June 2. The weather department has issued alerts for thunderstorms and rainfall in 40 districts including Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, and Jabalpur. These alerts will remain in place until May 28. Wind speeds could range between 30 to 50 kmph.

On Saturday, Mandla recorded 45 mm (around 2 inches) of rainfall in just 9 hours. Heavy rain also hit Rajgarh in the evening, while districts like Dhar received about half an inch. Light rain or drizzle occurred in Jabalpur, Umaria, and other places.

Due to rain and clouds, day temperatures dropped across many cities. Naugaon was the hottest at 42°C, followed by Tikamgarh at 40°C and Gwalior at 40.6°C. Bhopal recorded 36.2°C, Indore 34.9°C, Ujjain 39°C, and Jabalpur 31°C. The lowest temperature was recorded in Umaria at 30°C. Many areas like Seoni, Sidhi, Betul, and Chhindwara remained below 33°C.

Meteorologist Arun Sharma said two cyclonic circulations and a trough system are causing this weather pattern. Because of this, thunderstorms and rain will continue for the next few days.

According to the weather department, the following districts are likely to see more rain and storms: Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Jhabua, Alirajpur, Barwani, Dhar, Khargone, Shajapur, Dewas, Khandwa, Harda, Burhanpur, Narmadapuram, Betul, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori, Anuppur, Umaria, Shahdol, Katni, Satna, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi, and Singrauli.

Although May is usually the hottest month in Madhya Pradesh, this year the weather has been different. Over the past 24 days, many areas in the state have seen rain or storms. The last 10 years have seen temperatures rise to 47–48°C during May, but so far, this May has been cooler due to constant rain.

The heat is expected to return after May 28. Cities like Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Narsinghpur, Niwari, Maihar, Tikamgarh, and Bhind could see temperatures rise to 45°C or more. In Khajuraho and Naugaon, the mercury could touch 48°C.

Bhopal is expected to see 44–45°C, while Indore, Jabalpur, and Ujjain may record similar highs. Among major cities, Gwalior is likely to be the hottest with temperatures between 46–47°C.

April also saw a mix of heat and rain. In the first week, many areas saw temperatures above normal. Some cities recorded 39–44°C. By the second week, storms, rain, and hail affected 80% of the state. The third week brought strong north-western winds, keeping minimum temperatures around 25–27°C and maximums above 40°C.

Since April 25, weather activity has been high across Madhya Pradesh due to western disturbances and cyclonic systems. This pattern continues into Nautapa, delaying the full impact of summer heat.

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