Bhopal shivers under 3-day cold wave, mercury hits 7°C:Freezing winds hit Madhya Pradesh; Cold Day alert issued for Indore 3 other cities

Madhya Pradesh is facing an unusually severe winter. Icy winds from the north, repeated Western Disturbances, and early snowfall in the Himalayan states have caused temperatures to drop sharply across the state. Many cities are seeing cold wave and cold day conditions. Weather experts warn that this intense cold may last through December and even continue for more than 20 days in January. Severe cold across the state Madhya Pradesh has been shivering for the past few days. Bhopal has been under a cold wave for three days. Many cities in the Indore, Ujjain, and Jabalpur divisions are seeing cold day conditions. According to meteorologist Arun Sharma, a cold day alert has been issued for Indore, Shajapur, and Dhar–Narsinghpur. Bhopal has a cold wave alert for Monday. On Sunday, Bhopal and Shahdol also saw a cold wave, while Shajapur and Narsinghpur–Betul experienced a cold day. Sharp drop in night temperatures On the night between Saturday and Sunday, Bhopal recorded 7°C. Indore and Gwalior reported 8.4°C, while Jabalpur touched 8.6°C. Shahdol’s Kalyanpur remained the coldest spot for the second night in a row at 4.3°C. Pachmarhi, the only hill station in the state, recorded 5.4°C. Temperatures recorded in other cities: Chhatarpur was cloudy on Sunday morning, which caused a further drop of 2°C. Cold winds from snow-covered north The Meteorological Department said Western Disturbances caused snowfall and rain in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir. Cold winds from these regions have entered Madhya Pradesh for the last three days. The impact is stronger in Gwalior, Chambal, Ujjain, Bhopal, and Sagar divisions. Northerly winds are blowing directly into these areas, making both day and night much colder. Weather outlook for the next 2 days Cold wave and cold day conditions will continue for the next two days. Bhopal and Indore will feel the strongest impact. Another Western Disturbance over Pakistan will soon affect the Himalayan region. This will lead to more rain and snowfall, allowing cold northerly winds to continue entering Madhya Pradesh. Cold records broken in November This year, November cold in Madhya Pradesh broke several long-standing records. Bhopal had a cold wave for 15 consecutive days — the highest since 1931. On 17 November, the city recorded 5.2°C, breaking the earlier November record of 6.1°C set on 30 November 1941. Indore also saw its coldest night in 25 years, with the temperature falling to 6.4°C. Senior meteorologist Dr Divya E. Surendran said snowfall began early in the northern states in the first week of November. Cold winds then reached Madhya Pradesh. A brief change in wind direction reduced the chill for a few days. December–January: Peak winter months The Meteorological Department says December and January are the coldest months in the state, just as July and August are the main monsoon months. During these two winter months, cold winds from North India move deeper into Madhya Pradesh. This causes a major drop in day and night temperatures. Winter rain (Mawatha) often occurs due to Western Disturbances, increasing daytime cold. Data from the last 10 years shows this same trend. What to expect in December Strong Western Disturbances are expected in December. Northerly winds will continue to lower temperatures. The same pattern is expected this year. Districts likely to face the most cold In Itarsi, Narmadapuram, the temperature on Sunday was 10.2°C. Cold wave may last 20–22 days Weather experts say cold wave conditions, caused by icy winds, may continue in many cities throughout December. In January, they could last 20 to 22 days.