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The India Meteorological Department issued a mixed weather forecast for Odisha on Tuesday, warning of increasing heat and humidity in broad sections of the state while scattered thunderstorms are predicted to return beginning April 17.
The Meteorological Centre Bhubaneswar reported in its lunchtime bulletin that a north-south trough ranging from south Assam to south Tamil Nadu, combined with upper air cyclonic circulation over Jharkhand and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal, is still influencing weather conditions in Odisha.
The impact of these systems was obvious in the previous 24 hours, with light to moderate rainfall reported in isolated areas of southern districts such as Ganjam and Kandhamal, while the rest of the state remained mostly dry. Chikiti saw 4 cm of rain, while Daringibadi received 1 cm. Shallow fog was also seen in areas of the Keonjhar district.
Temperature fluctuations were minor, with a slight drop of 2-3°C in certain coastal pockets and a marginal gain of roughly 2°C in the interior. Titilagarh was the hottest spot in the state with 41.0°C, while Rourkela had the lowest minimum temperature of 21.1°C.
The meteorological office has, however, warned that dry conditions would prevail over Odisha for the next several days, followed by a stretch of hot and humid weather, particularly in coastal and adjacent regions. A Yellow Warning has been issued for the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati, where humidity is expected to cause discomfort.
Beginning April 16, the focus is predicted to move to western Odisha, where heat waves may develop in isolated areas in districts such as Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Sonepur. The heat is expected to become more intense and widespread in the next days, affecting additional districts such as Angul, Boudh, Kandhamal, and Sundergarh.
Even as the heat rises, the IMD predicts a change in weather starting April 17, with mild to moderate rains and thunderstorms in scattered areas. Thunderstorm activity may occur in northern districts such as Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Balasore, with lightning and strong winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph.
The thunderstorm belt is predicted to shift to southern Odisha between April 18 and April 20, hitting districts such as Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri. Similar activity may continue in isolated spots until April 21.
Meanwhile, the IMD predicts a gradual increase in maximum temperatures of 2-4°C over the following three days, indicating a persistent escalation of summer conditions throughout the state, with no notable relief thereafter.
The weather in Bhubaneswar and its surrounding areas is forecast to stay partly cloudy for the next 24 hours, with temperatures ranging between 37°C and 27°C. Morning measurements revealed a maximum temperature of 35.3°C, a minimum of 26.9°C, with significant humidity levels.
The farmers’ advisory predicted dry weather for the next 24 hours, but warned about hot and humid temperatures in numerous locations. There is no unfavorable weather alert for fisherman along the Odisha coast for the next five days.
Residents have been cautioned to avoid heat exposure and to keep an eye out for abrupt thunderstorm activity later this week.
