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

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. 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.

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.