Unseasonal cold grips state; Met warns of hail, strong winds

Bhopal: A cold wave in the midst of summer gave much-needed respite from hot weather to city residents. Day and night temperatures plummeted well below normal for this time of the year across several parts of the state.

The meteorological department officials say the unusual chill may persist for another day or two, with thunderstorms, lightning, gusty winds and hailstorms forecast for many areas.

The department attributed the unseasonal conditions to multiple weather systems, including a Western Disturbance now centred over west Madhya Pradesh.

The upper air cyclonic circulation over northwest MP and neighbourhood persists and now seen at a 0.9 km above mean sea level. The east-west trough now runs from southwest Rajasthan to north Jharkhand across cyclonic circulation over northwest MP, east MP, north Chhattisgarh at 0.9 km above mean sea level.

A trough runs from northeast Arabian Sea to cyclonic circulation over west MP across Gujarat between 3.1 and 5.8 km above mean sea level, the meteorological dept stated.

The day temperature in Bhopal on Wednesday was recorded at 31.4 degrees Celsius, nine degrees less than normal mark, while night temperature in the city was 19.2 degrees Celsius, seven degrees less than the normal mark.

In the forecast for Bhopal on Thursday the Met dept stated there would be partly cloudy sky with possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours.

Day and night temperature would be respectively 35 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius while average wind speed will be 20 km per hour.

In the forecast for the state, a warning of heavy rainfall (64.5 mm-105.4 mm), thunderstorm with lightning, gusty wind 50-60 kmph, and hailstorm was underlined for isolated places in Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Dhar and Ratlam dists.

A warning of thunderstorm with lightning, gusty wind 50 kmph-60 Kmph, hailstorm at isolated places was for Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Indore, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat and Pandhurna dist.

A warning of thunderstorm with lightning, gusty wind 40 kmph-50 kmph at isolated places existed for Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Agar, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh and Niwari dists.

A possibility of rainfall or drizzle with thunderstorm and lightning was underlined for Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Agar, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Jabalpur, Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Pandhurna, Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Dhar and Ratlam dists.

A dry weather would prevail over remaining dists in the state. In the weather outlook the meteorological dept stated there would be no large change for the next two days thereafter rise in temperature by 2 degrees to 3 degrees Celsius.