Showers, cool winds take heat off scorching Nautapa

Indore: Instead of the scorching afternoons usually associated with Nautapa, Indore witnessed partially cloudy skies, cool winds and below-normal temperature on Sunday, the seventh day of the scorching nine-day period.The city’s maximum temperature dropped to 36.3 degrees Celsius, down by more than three degrees from Friday’s 39.4 degrees Celsius within just 48 hours. It was four degrees below normal.Strong winds reaching 46 kmph during the early morning hours and light pre-dawn showers accompanied the change, signalling strengthening pre-monsoon activity across the Malwa region.The minimum temperature in the city stood at 22.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal. Both day and night temperatures declined further compared to the previous day, making Sunday one of the coolest days of this Nautapa period.The weather changed around 4 am when strong winds gusting up to 46 kmph swept through the city. Several areas also received drizzle. Though the rain was too scanty to be officially recorded, it was sufficient to cool the atmosphere and keep temperatures under check throughout the day.The cooling trend has been significant over the past fortnight. Weather records show that Indore’s maximum temperature had touched 44.3 degrees Celsius on May 18. Since then, the mercury has dropped by nearly eight degrees. Night temperature has witnessed a similar decline, falling from 28 degrees Celsius on May 24 to 22.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday.Met officials attribute the change to a combination of active weather systems, including a western disturbance and cyclonic circulations over central India and adjoining regions. Increasing moisture incursion and advancing monsoon conditions are also contributing to cloud formation and rain activity. The spell of unsettled weather was not limited to Indore. Several districts across the Malwa-Nimar region, including Dhar, Burhanpur, Ratlam and adjoining areas, witnessed strong winds, thunderstorms and spells of rainfall between Saturday and Sunday.The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Indore, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Barwani, Jhabua and Alirajpur districts on Monday. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, rain and gusty winds are likely at several places. Red alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms has been issued for Dhar and Khargone.Forecast indicates that similar weather conditions may continue for the next three to four days, with chances of thunderstorms and intermittent rain likely to keep temperatures below normal across the region.