Madhya Pradesh braces for heatwave as monsoon arrival delayed to June 22-24

The India Meteorological Department has forecast that the monsoon will enter Madhya Pradesh between June 22 and 24, extending the wait for rainfall in the state. The monsoon has remained stalled on the western coast since June 8 and is expected to move through Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh before reaching Madhya Pradesh.

Before the monsoon arrives, the state faces heatwave conditions for the next three days, with alerts issued for Ratlam, Chhindwara, and Balaghat. Rain and thunderstorms are expected in several districts including Gwalior, Vidisha, and Datia. Rainfall across Madhya Pradesh has remained significantly below normal this June, with only about 1 inch recorded so far against an average of 1.6 inches, representing a 37% deficit. Bhopal is the only district to record above-average rainfall.