Season’s surprise: 1st Feb rain in 10 yrs chills Indore

Indore: The city saw an unusual spell of weather as late-night showers and gusty winds altered the feel of Feb in the city. Rain and thunderstorms developed after midnight, with brief but sharp spells accompanied by strong winds. Though the rainfall was not intense for long, the sudden burst of wind and lightning caught many residents off guard.Indore received 7.3 mm rainfall between midnight and early morning after moderate late-night showers, followed by light drizzle at dawn. The spell marked the city's first Feb rain in a decade, bringing cooler winds up to 33 kmph and a sudden dip in temperature.By Thursday morning, the air felt cooler and fresher. With cloudy skies and rainfall, the daytime temperature dropped to 28.6 degree Celsius, nearly three degrees lower than Wednesday's 31.2 degrees. The minimum temperature stood at 15.2 degrees, slightly above normal, yet the combined effect of cloud cover and overnight rain gave the day a cooler tone.Around 4 pm on Thursday, dark clouds once again covered the skyline, raising expectations of another spell. In several residential areas, fallen leaves and small branches along roads bore signs of the midnight winds.According to the Weather Centre in Bhopal, the change is linked to an active western disturbance. Dr Divya Surendran said a cyclonic circulation persists over north Rajasthan and adjoining Punjab, with a trough extending towards Gujarat. The sub-tropical westerly stream is currently active over north-west India. Another western disturbance is likely to influence the region from Feb 22.Across Madhya Pradesh, scattered rainfall was reported in districts including Dhar, Ujjain, Bhopal and Neemuch. Dhar recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 26.2 mm. Strong winds were observed in several western districts. Hailstorms were reported in Neemuch and Mandsaur.