Nautapa begins on searing noteas city hits 43.6°, highest in 5 years

Bhopal: Scorching heat gripped the city on the first day of nautapa on Monday, with Bhopal recording a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, the highest for the opening day of the nine-day summer spell in the last five years. Hot winds through the afternoon and evening left residents struggling outdoors, and conditions turned almost heatwave-like despite light cloud cover later in the day.

The minimum temperature settled at 29.6 degrees Celsius, making nights uncomfortable as well. Weather officials said the combined effect of intense solar heating and warm winds pushed temperatures sharply upwards. Evening winds blowing at 14-15 kmph added to the discomfort.

The city has been witnessing persistently hot days and nights for the past two weeks, reducing relief even after sunset. Meteorologists said a cyclonic circulation and trough line over parts of Madhya Pradesh are also influencing weather conditions and triggering dusty winds in some areas, though they have not provided meaningful respite from the heat in the capital.

Compared with last year, the rise was steep. In 2025, nautapa remained unusually mild, with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celsius or below on most days. This year, the mercury crossed 43 degrees on the very first day itself.

Data from the past decade show that 2015 and 2018 were among the hottest nautapa periods in the city, with average temperatures touching 43.8 degrees Celsius. The first day of nautapa in 2020 remains the hottest in the last 10 years at 44.5 degrees Celsius, while Monday’s 43.6 degrees Celsius was the second-highest during this period.

With weather conditions staying dry and heat-building factors continuing over central India, residents are likely to face harsher afternoons in the coming days.

BHOPAL: MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ON FIRST DAY OF NAUTAPA

2022 — 39.7°C

2023 — 38.8°C

2024 — 42.9°C

2025 — 34.8°C

2026 — 43.6°C