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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange warning for 6 Odisha districts on Monday, anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall in one or two locations throughout Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, and Boudh during the next 24 hours. A yellow warning has also been issued for 11 districts, and thunderstorms with lightning and winds gusting up to 30-40 kmph are expected in one or two locations around the state.
The IMD stated that mild to moderate rain or thundershowers are highly possible in various parts across Odisha during the timeframe. A low-pressure area is influencing the weather system over Gangetic West Bengal and surrounding portions of Jharkhand and north Odisha, with an accompanying cyclonic circulation reaching up to 7.6 km above mean sea level. Over the following 24 hours, the system is expected to move almost northwest across Jharkhand and north Odisha.
Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Malkangiri are all under a yellow alert for heavy rains, while thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds are expected throughout the state.
According to the weather bureau, the southwest monsoon continued active in Odisha, with moderate rainfall in most areas and heavy to extremely high rainfall in one or two districts. Joda in Keonjhar received the most rainfall (17 cm), followed by Papadahandi in Nabarangpur (16 cm), and Paikmal in Bargarh and Kusumi in Mayurbhanj (12 cm apiece).
The IMD predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers in a few spots in Odisha on August 25 and 26, with yellow warnings for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.
For August 27 and 28, rain is likely at many places, with heavy rainfall expected at one or two places in Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.
The weather office has further issued an orange warning for August 30, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in Balasore and Mayurbhanj. Heavy rainfall is also likely at one or two places in Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur.
Heavy rains, according to the IMD, might cause localized floods, waterlogging in low-lying areas, underpass closures, traffic disruptions, poor visibility, damage to fragile structures and crops, and landslides in susceptible places. It recommended people to keep an eye on the weather, pay attention to traffic advisories, and avoid flooded regions and susceptible structures.
For Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas, the IMD predicts mostly cloudy sky with one or two periods of rain or thunderstorms during the next 24 hours, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to remain around 32°C and 25°C, respectively.
The meteorological office has also urged fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast until August 24, as squally weather with winds of 35-45 kmph and occasional gusts up to 55 kmph, as well as rough to extremely rough sea conditions, are predicted.
