Madhya Pradesh: Cold sets in, 18 of 33 weather observatories record low temperatures, says IMD

Bhopal, Jan 25: Indore and Bhopal experienced cold weather on Monday, and 18 of the 33 weather observatories in Madhya Pradesh recorded minimum temperatures ranging from 6 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius, a senior IMD official said.

PK Saha, senior meteorologist with IMD's Bhopal office said Indore witnessed a "severe cold day" with the maximum temperature being 18 degrees Celsius, which is 9 degrees Celsius below normal, while the minimum temperature at 2 degrees Celsius below normal was 8.6 degrees Celsius.

"Eighteen out of 33 weather observatories operational in MP recorded minimum temperatures ranging from 6 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius on Monday. Bhopal experienced a cold day with maximum temperature of 19.1 degrees Celsius, which was 6 degrees Celsius below normal, and minimum temperature of 9.9 degrees Celsius. This is 1 degree Celsius below normal," he told PTI.

The maximum and minimum temperatures in Jabalpur was 19.7 degrees Celsius (-5) and 12.6 degrees Celsius (+2), while it was 19.6 degrees Celsius and 6.3 (-1) degrees Celsius in Gwalior, he informed. Indore, Betul, Raisen Shajapur and Ujjain experienced a "severe cold day", while it was a "cold day" for Bhopal, Chhindwara, Guna, Ratlam, Khandwa, Khargone, Sagar and Tikamgarh.

As per the IMD, a "cold day" is one when the minimum temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius or below and the normal maximum temperature dips by 4.5 degrees Celsius or below. A "severe cold" day is when the normal maximum temperature drops by 6.5 degrees Celsius or below, Saha explained.

"The lowest minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius was recorded at Gwalior and Dhar. Cold wave conditions might prevail in MP from Tuesday. The severe cold is due to the departure of a western disturbance. The cloud and light showers which protected MP from cold have mostly gone," he said.