Cold Wave To Sweep Odisha For 2 More Days; Fresh Low Pressure May Bring Rain, Push Up Night Temp

Bhubaneswar: The cold wave warning, the first for this season, for Odisha is likely to continue till December 17 morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Sunday.

Cold wave conditions may prevail at one or two places in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts till Monday morning and in Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Angul during the subsequent 24 hours. Shallow to moderate fog is also likely at one or two places in Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Balangir and Sundargarh till Monday morning.

According to the IMD, chilly weather is prevailing due to the dry and cold northwesterly winds flowing towards the state.

The weather agency also informed about formation of a fresh low pressure over southeast Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours. The system is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu coast during the subsequent two days.

This is likely to strengthen the flow of easterly winds carrying moisture and trigger light to moderate rains at a few places for three days from December 17 when there is a forecast for light rain at one or two places in Koraput, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Rayagada districts. Light to moderate rain may occur at one or two places in South Coastal Odisha, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri on December 18 and in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal , Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam on December 19.

This could lead to a gradual rise in the night temperature by 3-5 degree Celsius.

The mercury had plummeted below 10 degree Celsius in at least ten places in the state in the last 24 hours with G Udayagiri, a hill station in Kandhamal district, being the coldest at 6.6 degree Celsius followed by Jharsuguda and Rourkela at 6.8 degree Celsius each. Twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 13 degree Celsius and 11.5 degree Celsius, almost 3 degrees below normal.