Rain interrupts warm spell, Met warns of thunderstorms across multiple dists

Bhopal: Even with summer at the doorstep, parts of Madhya Pradesh received a sharp spell of showers on Tuesday, bringing an element of respite for residents from warm nights and even warmer nights. In a welcome piece of news for the city and beyond, the regional meteorological office forecast more rainfall over the next few days.However, the overnight and day temperatures in the city were recorded above normal on Tuesday, with the distinct mugginess in the air persisting even after a column of clouds rolled in the late afternoon hours.According to Met officials, the low-pressure trough over southeast Bay of Bengal was persisting, with an associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea level. The system was very likely to move further eastwards and weaken gradually during the next 24 hours.An upper air cyclonic circulation lay over northeast Arabian Sea adjoining Saurashtra and Kutch, between 1.5 and 3.1 km above mean sea level, the Met said, adding that a subtropical westerly jet stream with core winds of up to 120 kmph, at 12.6 km above mean sea level, continued to prevail over the Northeast. A trough from south interior Karnataka to Marathwada at 0.9 km above mean sea level was persisting, while a fresh feeble western disturbance was likely to affect the western Himalayan region from February 27, the forecasters said.The prevailing weather systems could combine to sway the city weather in the coming days, the Met said. Meanwhile, the day temperature in Bhopal on Tuesday was recorded at 32.2°C, two degrees above normal, while the night temperature was 15.2°C, a degree more than normal. In a departure from the mugginess elsewhere, Pachmarhi recorded a minimum of 10.8°C on Tuesday. The Met forecast largely clear skies in the city on Wednesday, with the day and night temperatures likely to be 32°C and 15°C respectively and the average wind speed at 10 kmph. However, there was a warning for thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, for Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Jhabua, Dhar, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain, Dewas, Anuppur, Dindori, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat and Pandhurna districts. There is also a possibility of rainfall or drizzle, along with thunderstorm and lightning, in Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, Jhabua, Dhar, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain, Dewas, Anuppur, Dindori, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat and Pandhurna districts.