Bhopal/Raipur, May 5 : Madhya Pradesh (MP) witnessed unexpected rainfall and turbulent storms in several districts on Monday. The showers swept through Bhopal, Gwalior, and Shajapur, while strong winds accompanied by hail lashed the region, creating a volatile atmosphere.

Over the past twenty-four hours, rainfall has drenched fifty cities and towns, with dust storms striking Raisen town, adding to the chaos. The Weather Department has issued an alert for the Gwalior-Chambal division, warning of impending hailstorms that may descend upon Morena, Guna, Vidisha, Gwalior, Shivpuri, and Panna.

Thunder and lightning threaten to strike with formidable intensity, and gales reaching speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour are expected to roar across these districts.

This volatile weather pattern extends beyond, impacting Indore, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, and several others, where gusty winds may surge to 70 kilometres per hour, accompanied by relentless downpours.

The source of these disturbances lies in the presence of a powerful Western Disturbance, manifesting as a cyclonic circulation hovering over central Pakistan, stretching towards northwest Rajasthan at significant elevations.

Additionally, upper-air circulations over northeast Rajasthan and southwest Pakistan persist, contributing to the instability in the atmosphere.

An extensive east-west trough runs its course from East Rajasthan to northern Bangladesh, cutting across Madhya Pradesh, southeast Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, further intensifying weather conditions.

The unsettling conditions extend into Chhattisgarh, where thunderstorms with gusty winds are expected to persist over the coming days, though their severity may lessen after May 7, the Chhattisgarh weather department said.

Bilaspur and Surguja divisions witnessed moderate to severe thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday, while isolated occurrences may be observed in Durg and Raipur.

A rise in maximum temperatures by two to three degrees Celsius is predicted over the next three days, followed by stabilisation in temperatures.

In the preceding twenty-four hours, sporadic rainfall was recorded across isolated areas. Notably, the maximum temperature in the Surguja division remained significantly below normal, while other divisions observed moderately lower temperatures than the seasonal average.

Raipur recorded the highest temperature at 37.2 degrees Celsius, whereas Pendra Road witnessed 18.8 degrees Celsius, marking the lowest minimum temperature in the region during summers.

/IANS