Bhubaneswar: The Odisha capital recoded the longest spell of maximum day temperature of more than 40°C for 16 consecutive days in the month of April this season, according to weather scientist, Regional Meteorological Centre, Umashankar Dash.
The temperature soared past 40°C in Bhubaneswar from April 15-30. The previous highest spell of 10 days was recoded in 2016 from April 6-16, he added, quoting data since 1969.
The city had recorded the season’s highest of 45.4 degree Celsius on Tuesday. The mercury, however, dipped to 41.3°C on Wednesday as thunderstorm, rain, lightning and hail lashed the city last afternoon.
Till 11.30 this morning, Bhubaneswar had recorded 38°C and a humidity of 60% against 41.2°C and a humidity of 44% during corresponding period the previous day. The weather agency has predicted a fall in the day temperature in coastal Odisha by 2-4°C from May 2-4. The entire state is likely to experience a drop in mercury levels from May 5, it added.
According to the Met official, the prolonged heatwave in Odisha dragged for 16 days straight in April, making it the longest spell in last nine years. The previous longest spell of 21 days in parts of the state was recorded from April 10 to 30 in 2016 and the highest of 23 heatwave days in April 2010.
The current spell of heatwave days was also the longest in last five years (from 2020 to 2024) as the previous longest heatwave spell of 12 days was recorded in June 2023.
In Bhubaneswar, such long dry spell had also persisted from April 16 to May 5 in 2014.
