The weather department said several parts of the state may see showers, but monsoon has not yet formally entered districts such as Gwalior, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Neemuch and Mandsaur. Sunday brought rain to many areas, including Mandsaur, Ratlam, Sehore, Guna, Shajapur, Barwani and Ujjain, but the overall monsoon advance has remained slow.

Rainfall deficit

Madhya Pradesh has so far recorded 38% less rainfall than normal in June. Against the seasonal average of 116.2 mm by this time, the state has received only 71.7 mm, according to the report. The shortfall is much sharper in the eastern part of the state, where rainfall is reportedly 67% below normal, compared with 10% below normal in the western region.

Several districts are still facing large deficits, including Anuppur, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Mandla, Panna, Rewa, Satna, Seoni, Shahdol, Sidhi, Singrauli, Tikamgarh, Ujjain and Vidisha. At the same time, a few districts such as Bhopal, Indore, Ashoknagar, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Sheopur, Burhanpur, Shajapur and Sehore have received more rain than usual. 

Temperature trends

Temperatures have come down in some cities because of the rain, but heat is still persistent in several belts. On Sunday, Ujjain recorded the lowest maximum temperature among major cities at 33.5 degree Celsius, while Gwalior remained hot at 40.2 degree Celsius. Naugaon recorded the state’s highest maximum temperature at 40.4 degree Celsius.

The weather department said the monsoon entered the state on 24 June, but then stayed largely in place without moving much farther. That has increased the feeling of heat in both day and night hours, especially in the Gwalior-Chambal, Sagar and Rewa regions. 

Forecast ahead

The forecast suggests more rain in the coming days, including possible heavy showers in parts of Ujjain, Dewas and the eastern districts. Light to moderate rain is also likely in Bhopal, Indore and many other places, which could help reduce the current rainfall gap.

For farmers, the next few days are important because soil moisture remains uneven across the state. If the monsoon picks up speed soon, it could improve sowing conditions across the districts that are still waiting for reliable rainfall.