Bhubaneswar: Rainfall in Odisha may intensify in coming days with the likely formation of a cyclonic circulation over northwest Bay of Bengal around July 16, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
The MeT office has issued heavy rainfall warning till July 17 with little change during the subsequent two days. The number of districts which are likely to be impacted increases from 7 on July 14 to 16 on July 17.
According to the midday bulletin, there is no heavy rain warning till 8.30 am on Friday. Thunderstorm with lightning is likely at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Angul, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj during this period with light to moderate rain or thundershower at many places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, Rayagada, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Puri and at a few places in remaining districts of the state.
On July 14, heavy rain may lash one or two places in Nuapada, Bargarh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Boudh, Deogarh and Keonjhar while remaining parts of the state are likely to experience light to moderate rain.
On July 15, yellow warning for heavy rain has been issued for one or two places in Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Puri.
Heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore during the subsequent 24 hours (July 16).
There is a forecast for light to moderate rain at many places across the state on these two days.
On July 17, some places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Angul, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore are likely to experience heavy rain with light to moderate rain at most places across Odisha.
The IMD had earlier said that there is a possibility that the system over Bay of Bengal may intensify into low pressure. The monsoon trough, which is lying north from its normal eastern side, is also expected to return to its normal position by the end of this week, making conditions favourable for Odisha.
The monsoon trough is now passing through Jaisalmer, Delhi, Lucknow, Muzaffarpur, Balurghat and thence northeastwards to Arunachal Pradesh across Assam.
Corroborating the prediction, SOA University’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) said south-easterly wind will lead to an increase in rainfall activity and heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur at most places between July 21 and 23 across north and western Odisha. “There is a probability of the formation of a cyclonic circulation which will increase precipitation in the state from July 18 and lead to the formation of a low-pressure area the same day. The system may gradually intensify into a deep depression by July 20,” said CEC director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
Odisha has received 243.9mm rainfall against the normal of 334.4mm this monsoon season so far, which is a deficit of 27%, the IMD added.
