Another scorcher coming, mercury may hit 45 degrees next week

Bhopal: If a sultry Saturday afternoon was a sign of things to come, Sunday’s reading reinforced the setting in of another sweltering spell as the maximum day temperature in the city settled at 41°C for the second day running.

According to the regional meteorological centre, Nagpur, the needle is set to shift further northward into the coming week and may even breach the psychological mark of 45 degrees.

The maximum temperature in the state on Saturday settled perilously close to 45°C, a possible marker for readings as the week rolls.

According to the Met office, a cyclonic circulation is active over east Rajasthan at 0.9 km above mean sea level, while another prevails over west Uttar Pradesh and its neighbourhood at 1.5 km above mean sea level.

A third circulation is also active over eastern Madhya Pradesh and its neighbourhood, at 1.5 km above mean sea level, while a trough runs from the cyclonic circulation over east Rajasthan to east Jharkhand across MP and Chhattisgarh, at 0.9 km above mean sea level, the weather office added.

Under the impact of the prevailing weather systems, the city is likely to experience piping hot afternoons over the next few days, with the evenings not up for much cold comfort either.

The day temperature in Bhopal on Saturday was recorded in the normal range for this time of year, while the overnight minimum temperature settled at 25.4°C, a degree below normal.

Ratlam saw the mercury climb to 44°C, making it the hottest place in the state on Saturday.

However, the Met did record some rainfall activity over the last 24 hours, with Shivpuri, Ashok Nagar, Guna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Panna, Sagar, Raisen, Harda, Betul, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Dindori, Anuppur, Umaria, Katni and Jabalpur districts experiencing thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and rain, till 8.30 am on Saturday.

A hailstorm lashed Seoni district, while dust storms swept Sagar, Narsingpur and Damoh districts.

Meanwhile, the Met forecast partly cloudy skies for Bhopal on Sunday, with the day and night temperatures likely to settle at 42 and 25 degrees, while average wind speed will be 16 kmph.

A warning for thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds was issued for Narmadapuram, Betul, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Singrauli, Sidhi, Anuppur, Shahdol, Umaria, Dindori, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari and Pandhurna districts.

The Met also flagged the possibility of rainfall or drizzle, along with thunderstorms and lightning for Narmadapuram, Betul, Ashoknagar, Shivpuri, Singrauli, Sidhi, Anuppur, Shahdol, Umaria, Dindori, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari and Pandhurna districts.

However, largely dry weather would prevail elsewhere in the state, the Met said, adding there would be a gradual rise in temperature by two to four degrees over the next five days.