Bhubaneswar: High humidity combined with rising temperatures drove the heat index in Bhubaneswar to extreme levels before noon on Thursday, making conditions feel far hotter than the actual thermometer reading.
The state capital recorded a temperature of 36.4°C with relative humidity at 63% by 11.30 am. This resulted in a heat index — the “feels-like” temperature calculated using the NOAA formula — reaching a scorching 51°C, according to senior meteorologist Umasankar Das.
The oppressive humidity made life difficult in other coastal districts with people reporting high levels of discomfort though temperature varied between 34°C and 37°C. The sultry conditions pushed “feels-like” temperature to 52°C in Chandbali (36.8°C) and Balasore (36.2°C), 50°C in Gopalpur (36°C), 48°C in Puri (34.8°C) and 47°C in Paradip (34.2°C).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted hot and humid conditions at isolated places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh till June 11.
According to IMD’s morning bulletin, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall may occur in Odisha on June 11-12. Isolated to scattered rainfall is also likely in the state from June 13-16. Isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) may continue in Odisha from June 12-16.
Isolated very heavy rainfall is likely in Odisha on June 11 and isolated heavy rainfall on June 12-13.
Thundersquall (wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph) may also occur in Odisha on June 11.