Cold wave set to tighten grip on Madhya Pradesh as temperatures dip and fog spreads

Madhya Pradesh is preparing for another spell of colder weather as day and night temperatures are expected to drop by 2–3 degrees Celsius from Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). While no sharp change is forecast in the next 24 hours, weather officials say a gradual cooling trend will follow, bringing harsher winter conditions to several regions.

The forecast comes amid already fluctuating temperatures across the state, with fog and cold day conditions beginning to surface in pockets.

Fog alert issued for 22 districts

The Met department has warned of dense to moderate fog on January 3 in 22 districts, which could disrupt early-morning visibility and travel.

Affected districts include Gwalior, Sheopur, Morena, Bhind, Shivpuri, Datia, Niwari, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Damoh, Satna, Maihar, Rewa, Mauganj, Shahdol, Umaria, Anuppur, Sidhi, Singrauli, Dindori and Jabalpur.

Weather officials advised commuters to exercise caution, especially on highways and near low-lying areas.

Bhopal sees early signs of cooling

In the state capital Bhopal, conditions are also turning cooler. On Friday, the maximum temperature dropped by 1.7 degrees to 23.8 degrees Celsius, down from 25.5 degrees recorded the previous day. The minimum temperature remained unchanged, officials said.

The IMD has indicated that shallow to moderate fog is likely in Bhopal during morning hours on Saturday, which could slow traffic during peak office and school hours.

Regional temperature trends show sharp contrasts

Meteorological data reveals uneven cooling across the state.

• Maximum temperatures fell sharply by up to 4.2 degrees in the Chambal division.

• Parts of the Gwalior and Sagar divisions recorded a decline of 2.2 to 2.5 degrees.

• In contrast, there was no significant change in several other divisions.

The Chambal division reported maximum temperatures 2.6 degrees below normal, while temperatures remained 2.1 to 2.3 degrees above normal in the Bhopal, Jabalpur and Shahdol divisions.

Minimum temperatures show mixed pattern

Night temperatures presented a different picture.

• Minimum temperatures rose by 2.2 to 2.6 degrees in the Ujjain and Jabalpur divisions.

• A sharper rise of 4.4 degrees was recorded in the Shahdol division.

Despite this, officials confirmed that cold day conditions prevailed in Datia district, indicating that winter intensity can vary sharply within short distances.

Why this matters now

The combination of falling temperatures and widespread fog has implications for road safety, rail operations and public health, particularly for the elderly and those commuting early in the morning. Authorities are advising people to take precautions against cold exposure and reduced visibility.

What to watch next

Meteorologists will closely monitor whether the temperature drop intensifies after the weekend. Any strengthening of cold northerly winds could deepen winter conditions across central and northern Madhya Pradesh in the coming days.