Unseasonal weather in May: Madhya Pradesh faces rain, heat, and storms

More than 13 districts in Madhya Pradesh were hit by heavy thunderstorms, rain, and hail on Wednesday. Bhopal and Indore experienced intense heat until noon, followed by light showers later in the day. Hailstorms were reported in several villages of Sehore, while strong winds and stormy conditions affected Ratlam and Vidisha. Rainfall also continued in districts like Dhar, Chhindwara, Narmadapuram, Raisen, Rewa, Sagar, and Balaghat.

Rainfall continued in multiple districts

The India Meteorological Department has issued multiple alerts for Thursday. A heat wave warning is in place for Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Niwari, Tikamgarh, and Chhatarpur. An orange alert for thunderstorms and strong winds is active in Anuppur, Dindori, Mandla, Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara, Betul, Harda, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Khargone, Barwani, Alirajpur, and Jhabua. Wind speeds in these areas may reach 60 km/h. Rain and storms are also expected in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Ujjain, and several other districts.

Stormy weather on Wednesday caused damage in several places. Sehore reported hail in many villages. More than 10 electric poles were bent due to strong winds between Mandideep and Obedullaganj. Dhar, Chhindwara, Raisen, Rewa, Sagar, Balaghat, and Ratlam also reported rain.

Extreme temperatures across Madhya Pradesh

Extreme heat gripped parts of the state, with Khajuraho recording the highest temperature at 45.4°C. Naugaon followed at 45.0°C, while Tikamgarh, Guna, and Shivpuri also crossed 44°C. Other high temperatures included 43.5°C in Satna, 42.0°C in Damoh, and around 41°C in Sidhi, Umaria, Rewa, and Sagar.

Meteorologist Arun Sharma explained the cause of this unusual pattern: “A trough is passing over Madhya Pradesh, along with cyclonic circulation. This is triggering frequent storms and rain. The same conditions will persist for the next few days.”

May has not followed its usual trend this year. Over the past decade, temperatures in Madhya Pradesh have often touched 47–48°C during this month. But this year, the state saw rain on 19 days. Only in the second half of May did the temperature begin rising. Cities in Chhatarpur, Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Ujjain, and Niwari have started feeling the heat more sharply now.

In the coming days, temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 45°C in districts like Chhatarpur, Gwalior, Tikamgarh, Bhind, and Vidisha. Khajuraho and Naugaon may hit 48°C. Gwalior will likely remain the hottest major city, with expected highs of 46–47°C. Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and Jabalpur could also cross 44°C.

Mandla recorded 40.2°C. Among major cities, Gwalior saw the highest temperature at 44.6°C. Bhopal stood at 39.1°C, Jabalpur at 41.0°C, Ujjain at 38.7°C, and Indore at 36.8°C. Ratlam had the lowest maximum temperature at 34.6°C, while Khandwa recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state at 22.0°C.

Air quality: Maihar leads, Gwalior falls behind

Air quality in the state also saw a shift. Maihar recorded the cleanest air with an AQI of 71, the lowest in Madhya Pradesh. On the other hand, Gwalior’s air quality declined, with an AQI of 153, the highest among major cities. Indore and Jabalpur registered AQIs of 95 and 96 respectively, while Bhopal stood at 117. The Pollution Control Board classified Maihar’s air as being in the "normal" category.

The Meteorological Department reported that a cyclone in the upper air over the Arabian Sea is likely to develop into a low-pressure system by Thursday. Another upper air cyclone near Punjab has extended a trough line passing through Haryana, North Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Sikkim. The combined influence of these systems is impacting the weather in Madhya Pradesh. Pre-monsoon activity has begun, and many districts are expected to see intermittent rain over the next five days.

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