Bhubaneswar: The Odisha capital turned into a hot cauldron with the day temperature soaring to 40 degrees Celsius by 11.30 am on Saturday, making it the hottest place in Odisha,
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar was the hottest at 40 Degree Celsius followed by Jharsuguda and Chandbali (37.8), Balasore (37.2), Sambalpur (37) and Keonjhar (36.8).
Notably, Bhubaneswar recorded its highest maximum temperature of the season at 40.8 degree Celsius on Friday.
The MeT office had earlier said that the maximum (daytime) temperature is likely to gradually increase by 3 to 5 degree Celsius in the state from Saturday. There was a dip in mercury level at a few places due to thunderstorm activity in the last two days.
The maximum temperature is likely to remain 2 to 3 degree Celsius above normal in interior districts between April 29 and May 5, the IMD said and attributed it to dry and warm westerly and north-westerly winds, which is expected to blow towards Odisha during this period.
The Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC), SOA, also forecast a sharp rise in temperature from April 24 with the upper air trough moving towards the Bay of Bengal. “While the mercury level is likely to hover between 43 and 46 degree Celsius at most places in interior Odisha from April 28, the coastal belt will sizzle above 40 degrees due to the absence of sea breeze and the flow of hot winds into the state from north-west India and Telangana. This dry hot spell is expected to continue for around a week,” the CEC stated.
