Pre-monsoon activity continued across Madhya Pradesh on Monday, bringing rain to several districts including Bhopal, Ujjain, Raisen and Dhar, while weather officials warned of thunderstorms and showers across large parts of the state over the next few days.

A tragic incident was reported from Chhatarpur district, where a 12-year-old girl died after being struck by lightning. The victim, identified as Aarti Ahirwar, was standing under a mango tree near a field along with her cousin sister in Maharajganj village of Badamalhara tehsil when lightning struck the area. While Aarti died in the incident, her cousin sustained burn injuries and was admitted to a district hospital for treatment.

The weather department has forecast strong winds of up to 60 kmph along with rain in districts including Indore, Dewas, Dhar, Sehore, Shajapur, Chhindwara, Pandhurna, Seoni, Balaghat, Mandla and Jabalpur. Similar weather conditions are expected in several tourist and religious destinations, including Bhimbetka, Sanchi, Maheshwar, Omkareshwar, Pachmarhi, Chitrakoot, Bandhavgarh and Amarkantak.

Heavy rainfall activity was recorded in several parts of the state on Sunday and Monday. Raisen received 61 mm of rainfall, equivalent to nearly 2.5 inches, while Bhopal witnessed intense showers during the afternoon. Satna recorded significant rainfall, and showers were also reported from Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Naugaon and Seoni.

The rainfall led to a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures. Among the state's major cities, Bhopal recorded a maximum temperature of 35.3 degrees Celsius, Indore 37.1 degrees, Ujjain 36 degrees and Jabalpur 38 degrees. Datia remained the hottest district with a temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius, while Pachmarhi was the coolest at 32.2 degrees.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department said the southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar as of June 22. The system is expected to progress further over the next 48 hours.

Despite the advancement in neighbouring states, the monsoon is yet to enter Madhya Pradesh and is currently running behind schedule. Normally, the monsoon reaches the state around June 15. This year, however, it has been delayed by nearly a week. Weather experts expect the monsoon to enter Madhya Pradesh after June 25 if favourable conditions persist.

The delay has significantly affected seasonal rainfall figures. The state has recorded 48 per cent less rainfall than normal so far this month. Eastern Madhya Pradesh, including the divisions of Jabalpur, Rewa, Shahdol and Sagar, has received 69 per cent less rainfall than average. Western divisions, including Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior and Narmadapuram, are also reporting a rainfall deficit.

The delayed monsoon has become a growing concern for farmers preparing for the kharif season. Sowing of crops such as soybean, urad, moong and tur has been affected due to insufficient soil moisture. Agricultural experts say at least four inches of rainfall is required before large-scale sowing can begin safely.

In some districts, farmers who sowed soybean seeds anticipating an early monsoon are now facing the risk of seed damage due to inadequate rainfall. Experts have advised growers to wait for sustained rainfall before proceeding with sowing operations.

With rain-bearing systems becoming more active and cloud cover increasing over central India, meteorologists remain optimistic that weather conditions could improve over the coming week.