Scattered rains accompanied by strong winds brought some relief from the scorching heat in parts of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, even as the state awaits the official arrival of the monsoon in the next couple of days.

Balaghat recorded the highest rainfall of 1.25 inches, followed by Raisen with 0.75 inches. Other districts that saw rainfall included Dhar, Barwani, Khargone, Narmadapuram, Indore, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Sagar, Seoni, Tikamgarh, and Rajgarh. In many places, the showers were accompanied by thunderstorms, leading to a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures.

Pachmarhi remained the coolest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 30.2 degrees Celsius. Khargone recorded 30.4, Dhar 31, while several other places stayed below the 36-degree mark. However, heat continued to grip parts of the state, with Datia and Sidhi recording the highest temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius.

Among major cities, Gwalior sizzled at 41 degrees, Jabalpur recorded 35.4, Indore 33.9, Ujjain 34.8, and Bhopal 32.2 degrees Celsius.

The weather department has forecast further pre-monsoon activity. Thunderstorms with rain are likely in 26 districts, including Gwalior, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Datia, Shahdol, Anuppur, Dindori, Balaghat, Seoni, Pandhurna, Chhindwara, Narsinghpur, Sagar, Vidisha, Raisen, Betul, Bhopal, Sehore, Harda, Dewas, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Indore, Alirajpur, and Jhabua. Meanwhile, heatwave conditions may persist in Jabalpur, Mandla, Damoh, and Umaria.

Officials said the monsoon is expected to enter the state within the next two days. Normally, it arrives around June 15, but this year the wait has been slightly longer. In the past decade, the earliest entry was on June 9 in 2021, while the latest was June 25 in 2018.

Rainfall deficiency remains a concern. According to data, 48 districts have received 52 per cent less rainfall than normal so far this season. Only a few districts, including Bhopal, Ashoknagar, Agar-Malwa, Guna, Mandsaur, Neemuch, and Sheopur, have recorded above-normal rains. On Monday, Dhar received nearly 2 inches, while Bhopal got 0.75 inches.

The showers on Tuesday brought much-needed respite in several areas, though some regions continue to face dry conditions. Farmers and residents in rain-deficient districts are hoping for a timely and widespread monsoon arrival to ease the pressure on water sources and agriculture.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is closely monitoring the progress of the monsoon trough. Meteorologists said conditions are becoming favourable for its advance into Madhya Pradesh shortly.

In the last 24 hours, the mix of rain and gusty winds also led to minor disruptions in some places, though no major damage has been reported so far. Authorities have advised people to remain cautious during thunderstorms.

As the state stands on the threshold of the monsoon season, officials are keeping a close watch on both rainfall distribution and temperature trends. Further updates on monsoon onset and expected rainfall in the coming days are awaited.

The current weather pattern reflects the typical transition phase seen in June, where pre-monsoon activities often bring temporary relief before the full-fledged rainy season sets in. How the monsoon performs this year will be critical for the state's kharif crops and overall water availability.