Cloudy skies, light rain cools down Indore after intense May heat

Indore/Ujjain: After days of scorching heat, Indore residents woke up to cloudy skies, cool winds and light rain on Saturday morning, bringing much-needed relief and signalling a stronger pre-monsoon spell across the region.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a further drop of two to three degrees in maximum temperature over the next three days. Intermittent rain, drizzle, thunderstorms and lightning are likely at isolated places in Indore, Dhar, Dewas, Shajapur and adjoining districts, suggesting that the current spell of relatively pleasant weather may continue through the first half of the week.Indore recorded 0.5 mm rainfall during the last 24 hours ending 8.:0 am Saturday while humidity rose to 67 percent, making conditions noticeably cooler than in recent days. The city’s maximum temperature settled at 39.4 degrees Celsius, around one degree below normal. Cloud cover and moisture-laden winds helped keep temperatures in check, offering respite from the intense heat that had persisted through much of May.Across the Malwa region, rain activity was reported from several districts as pre-monsoon systems gained strength over western Madhya Pradesh. Thunderstorms and rain were reported from many parts of Indore and Ujjain districts during the past 24 hours. Among major stations, Ratlam recorded 7 mm rainfall, Ujjain 2 mm and Dhar 0.7 mm during the period ending Saturday morning.The weather system had a more pronounced impact in Ujjain where residents witnessed a sharp change in conditions after overnight cloud build-up and strong winds. The city received 4 mm rainfall, according to the Govt Jiwaji Observatory. The minimum temperature dropped to 22 degrees Celsius, nearly five degrees lower than the previous day, while the maximum temperature settled at 39 degrees Celsius. Morning humidity was recorded at 84 percent.According to IMD, minimum temperature across districts of the Ujjain division declined by 2.1 to 3.6 degrees Celsius during the past 24 hours and remained below normal by 1.8 to 2.5 degrees Celsius. The Met officials attributed the change to active pre-monsoon conditions and increased moisture incursion over the region.For residents weary of the prolonged summer heat, the forecast offers hope of more comfortable weather in the coming days, although occasional thunderstorms and lightning may accompany the showers across Indore and the Malwa belt.