The night temperature dropped to 4.8°C, the lowest this season, and 15 cities had temperatures below 10°C on Monday. According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) regional center in Bhubaneswar, Daringbadi in Kandhmal district had the coldest temperature in the state on Monday, measuring 4.8°C.
Snowfall was reported in various areas, including Koida in Sundargarh, the Similipal Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj, and Raikia in Kandhamal. The persistent cold spell created a strange scene in locations like Tensa, Kalta, Malda, and Kasira near Koida in Sundargarh district, where a thick layer of ice and fog felt like snow.
Due to Odisha’s cold wave, visibility in Koraput and Kandhamal was hampered by dense fog. The weather service has issued a yellow alert in these areas.
Even as Odisha continues to suffer from a severe cold wave, the IMD predicts an increase in night temperatures across the state from Tuesday night due to the effect of a new low pressure area (LoPAR) in the southwest Bay of Bengal.
According to the weather service, the night temperature will rise by 3°C to 5°C beginning Wednesday, providing some reprieve from the extreme cold wave. At the same time, some areas of the state may have light rain as a result of the LoPAR in the Bay of Bengal.