Madhya Pradesh witnessed hailstorms and rain in several regions, including Bhopal and Khandwa, on Saturday, disrupting normal life and causing widespread challenges for farmers. The weather brought temporary relief after 1:30 pm as mild sunshine broke through the clouds, offering some respite. Similar weather patterns were observed on Friday across districts such as Ratlam, Mandsaur, Betul, and Alirajpur, where hailstorms and rain battered the region.
The unseasonal rain caused significant difficulties for farmers. In Raisen, farmers who brought paddy in tractor trolleys to the Dussehra ground spent the night protecting their produce with tarpaulin sheets to prevent damage. Despite their efforts, hundreds of sacks of paddy and wheat were soaked in Karhiya and Jabalpur of Rewa. Such losses have left many farmers anxious about recovering from the damage to their already harvested crops.
In the past 24 hours, rainfall was recorded in 250 cities and towns across 42 districts, including Bhopal, Morena, Neemuch, Ratlam, Ujjain, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, and others. According to the Meteorological Department, Garoth in Mandsaur district and Satwas in Dewas received the highest rainfall, with 2.5 inches recorded.
Cities such as Narmadapuram, Nasrullaganj in Sehore, and Udaipur in Raisen also recorded over two inches of rainfall. Thunderstorms and hailstorms were reported in multiple regions, adding to the intensity of the weather.
The maximum wind speed during this period was recorded at 62 kmph in Bhind, followed by 56 kmph in Shajapur and 54 kmph in Sehore. Other regions, including Jabalpur, Barwani, Guna, Ujjain, and Chhindwara, experienced wind speeds ranging from 26 to 37 kmph. These strong winds, combined with heavy rain, caused damage to infrastructure, trees, and crops.
In Bhopal, the capital city, heavy rain accompanied by maize-sized hailstones and strong winds lashed the region for about 45 minutes on Saturday afternoon. Areas like MP Nagar, Kolar, New Market, and Ayodhya Bypass reported temporary flooding due to the downpour. Once the rain subsided, the sun emerged, clearing the skies and restoring normalcy in some areas. However, farmers in rural parts continue to grapple with the consequences of the sudden weather changes.
Dense fog blanketed Bhopal on Saturday morning following Friday night's rain. The fog lasted until 9 am, reducing visibility and disrupting early morning activities. This weather anomaly is coupled with a record-breaking cold winter. On December 15, Bhopal recorded a minimum temperature of 3.3 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1966, when the temperature dropped to 3.1 degrees Celsius.
The combination of rain, hailstorms, and cold has created an unusual weather pattern for December in Madhya Pradesh. While the second fortnight of December is typically cold, this year winter began earlier and has been accompanied by persistent rain. Meteorological experts attribute these changes to global climatic variations and predict that the pattern of rain and cold will continue throughout December, affecting agriculture and daily life in the state.
