Freezing winds sweep Madhya Pradesh:2-day cold wave alert issued for 9 districts, including Bhopal Indore; mercury drops to 7.4°C in Rajgarh

Madhya Pradesh is reeling under a strong cold wave, with icy winds from the northern mountains sending temperatures tumbling. Several cities recorded temperatures below 10°C on Friday–Saturday night, breaking November records. Rajgarh remained the coldest, while Bhopal and Indore saw a sharp drop in mercury. Weather officials have issued a cold wave alert for several districts, with conditions expected to continue over the weekend. Cold grips the state The entire state is shivering due to chilly winds from the north. The temperature dipped below 10°C in many cities on Friday–Saturday night. Rajgarh was the coldest, followed by Rewa, Bhopal, and Indore. Cold winds swept through Bhopal, Rajgarh, Ujjain, Indore, Dewas, Sehore, Shajapur, Satna, and Rewa during the day. The cold wave will continue on Sunday and spread to Panna and nearby districts. Cold wave alert issued A cold wave alert has been issued for Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Sehore, Dewas, Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Panna, Satna, and Rewa for November 10. Residents have been advised to take precautions against the biting cold. Indore records coldest November in 25 years Several cities set new temperature records on Friday–Saturday night. Indore witnessed its coldest November weather in 25 years. The all-time lowest temperature for the city in November was 5.6°C, recorded in 1938.In Bhopal, the temperature dipped to 8.4°C, the second lowest in a decade. Last year, it was 8.2°C. Gwalior recorded 10.5°C, Ujjain 10.4°C, and Jabalpur 12.2°C. Rajgarh colder than Pachmarhi For the second night in a row, Rajgarh was the coldest spot in the state, recording 7.4°C. Rewa followed at 9.6°C. Other temperatures were—Raisen 10°C, Umaria 10.2°C, Naugaon 10.7°C, Guna 11.2°C, Sagar 11.6°C, Betul 13°C, Dhar and Sheopur 12°C, and Ratlam and Damoh 12.2°C.Satna recorded 12.6°C, Datia 12.9°C, Sidhi 13°C, Mandla 13.1°C, Khajuraho and Chhindwara 13.2°C, Tikamgarh 13.5°C, Khandwa 14°C, Narmadapuram 14.3°C, Khargone 15.2°C, and Shivpuri and Narsinghpur 15.4°C.Interestingly, Pachmarhi, the state’s only hill station, recorded 15.4°C—higher than many other cities. Why it’s getting colder The Meteorological Department says that snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand has brought icy winds into Madhya Pradesh. These northerly winds are causing a sharp drop in temperatures. The department predicts that the intense cold felt in early November will continue through the month. Fog to increase in coming days Fog is also expected to increase along with the cold. Currently, cold conditions are more severe late at night and early in the morning. Light fog has already appeared, and visibility is likely to worsen in the coming days.At present, Mandla has the lowest visibility of 1–2 kilometres. In Jabalpur, Rewa, and Satna, visibility is between 2–4 kilometres. Cold during daytime too Daytime temperatures have also started to drop. On Saturday, most cities recorded daytime temperatures below 30°C. The mercury is expected to fall further over the next few days. November cold trend and rainfall pattern For the past ten years, Madhya Pradesh has seen a mix of rain and cold during November. This year is following the same trend. October was also unusually wet, receiving 2.8 inches of rainfall—121% higher than the normal 1.3 inches.In Bhopal, October 30 saw a daytime temperature of just 24°C, the coldest October day in 25 years. In Ujjain, Chhatarpur, and Narsinghpur, temperatures also remained below 24°C. Weather outlook for November The Meteorological Department had already predicted a temperature drop in the second week of November, which is now evident. The fall is sharper in the Gwalior–Chambal region, where cold northern winds blow directly.Historical records show that Gwalior once recorded 3°C in November, 56 years ago. In Ujjain, the lowest ever November temperature was 2.3°C, recorded 52 years ago.Bhopal, Indore, and Jabalpur generally receive some rain in November, and this year too, rainfall is expected in the first and last weeks of the month.