Early winter grips Madhya Pradesh, temperatures dip below 10°C:Indore records coldest November night in a decade; Jhabua delays school timings amid sharp cold wave

This year, Madhya Pradesh is experiencing an unusually early and severe onset of winter. The cold wave, which typically begins in the second half of November, has already gripped the state in its first week. The mercury has dipped sharply over the past two nights, breaking several local records, most notably in Indore, which recorded its coldest November night in a decade. According to the Meteorological Department, cities like Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Ujjain are currently colder than the hill station Pachmarhi. The sudden chill has prompted administrative action in some regions, with school timings revised in Jhabua due to the drop in temperatures. Sharp fall in temperature in two nights Within just two nights, the night temperature across Madhya Pradesh has plunged below 10°C. Rajgarh emerged as the coldest, recording 9°C after a two-degree drop overnight. Indore reported 10.3°C — its lowest November temperature in the last 10 years, with previous lows hovering around 11°C in 2017, 2020, and 2022.In Bhopal, the mercury dipped to 11°C, marking one of the five coldest November readings in the past decade. Other cities also witnessed a dip — Gwalior (11.3°C), Jabalpur (14.6°C), and Ujjain (13°C). The temperature drop was widespread: Datia recorded 11.1°C, Guna 12.2°C, Dhar 12.4°C, Rewa 12.5°C, and Sheopur–Naugaon 13°C. Even typically warmer cities like Betul (13.2°C) and Chhindwara (15°C) reported a significant chill. Jhabua schools delay timings due to cold In Jhabua, temperatures have dropped by 8.4°C within three days. To safeguard young students, Collector Neha Meena has ordered a change in school timings. Classes from Nursery to Class 3 will now start at 9 AM, while Classes 4 to 12 will begin at 8 AM. These changes apply to all educational institutions in the district. Experts explain the early cold spell Meteorologists attribute the early cold to a combination of factors. As the monsoon withdraws, humidity levels decrease, leading to rapid night-time cooling. Meanwhile, snowfall in the northern mountains and the shift in wind direction from southwest to northeast, known as the “wind pattern setting”, bring colder air into the plains.This has accelerated the onset of winter in Madhya Pradesh by nearly a week compared to usual trends. Fog begins to form across the state Along with dropping temperatures, fog has started forming during early mornings. The lowest visibility of 1–2 km was recorded in Mandla, while Jabalpur, Rewa, and Satna saw visibility between 2–4 km. The weather department expects fog intensity to increase further in the coming days. Cold and rain trend in November Data from the last decade shows a consistent pattern of cold and occasional rainfall in November. This year is following the same trend. October ended with an average rainfall of 2.8 inches, about 121% higher than the usual 1.3 inches, which helped set the stage for the current cold wave. On October 30, Bhopal recorded a day temperature of just 24°C, the coldest October day in 25 years. Similar conditions were reported in Ujjain, Chhatarpur, and Narsinghpur, where the mercury stayed below 24°C. City-wise weather records and trends What lies ahead Weather experts predict that the cold will intensify from mid-November, especially in Gwalior-Chambal, where northern winds blow directly into the region. Some rainfall is also expected in the first and third weeks of November, which could further dip night temperatures across central and western Madhya Pradesh. The early chill, experts say, signals a prolonged and harsher winter ahead for the state.