After weeks of burning days, Bhopal finds relief as pre-monsoon clouds move in

Bhopal: After enduring intense heat through most of May, residents of Madhya Pradesh received a welcome respite as temperatures dipped sharply across the state on Monday under the influence of pre-monsoon weather activity. For Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds in several districts, while Bhopal is expected to witness cloudy skies and isolated showers during the afternoon and evening hours.The weather shift was evident in the state capital on Monday, where strong winds and light drizzle swept through parts of the city in the evening. The maximum temperature settled at 37.6 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees below normal and well below the 43-degree-plus temperatures recorded during the initial days of the recent nautapa period. The minimum temperature was recorded at 27.1 degrees Celsius.According to the forecast, Bhopal and other districts of the division, including Sehore, Raisen and Vidisha, are likely to receive rainfall at isolated places on Tuesday. Similar conditions are expected in parts of Indore, Narmadapuram, Jabalpur, Sagar, Gwalior and Chambal divisions.The strongest weather activity is likely over western Madhya Pradesh. IMD issued an orange alert for Dhar and Khargone districts, warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40-50 kmph. Similar thunderstorm and wind warnings were issued for Ratlam, Ujjain and Jhabua. Rainfall is also expected at several places in Alirajpur, Barwani, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Shajapur and Rajgarh districts.The cooling trend was visible across the state on Monday. Khandwa recorded the highest maximum temperature at 40.5 degrees Celsius, making it the only place in Madhya Pradesh where the mercury crossed the 40-degree mark. Elsewhere, temperatures remained below 40 degrees, reflecting the impact of widespread cloud cover and moisture incursion.With the monsoon season approaching, weather experts expect heat intensity to gradually decline. Historically, June remained a transition month for Bhopal. During the past decade, the city recorded above-normal rainfall in five years and below-normal rainfall in five others. Last year, Bhopal received 156 mm rainfall in June, exceeding the monthly average, while the maximum temperature touched 43.4 degrees Celsius.The southwest monsoon typically reaches Bhopal between June 15 and June 25. The city’s wettest June in recent years was in 2020, when 405.3 mm rainfall was recorded, while the driest was in 2022, with just 38.2 mm. Despite the recent relief, meteorologists said daytime temperatures could still cross 40 degrees Celsius on some days this month before the monsoon establishes itself over the region.