Bhubaneswar: Make this winter unforgettable in Odisha! Fly with us from January 1st, 2025, and experience the state’s 1st ever snowfall!, an airline posted on X.
Some X users also mentioned about rare snowfall in Sundeagarh & Mayurbhanj with mercury plummeting to 3°C on December 16 as unrelenting cold wave swept Odisha for 4 days.
Reports said that Koida area of Sundargarh saw a thin layer of snow covering fields and vehicles. Heavy frost was reported in Tensa, Kalta, Malda, Koida headquarters, and Kasira and also Similipal, a well-known wildlife and trekking destination.
Debunking these claims, senior meteorologist Umashankar Das clarified that this is ground frost not the snow fall. “Ground frost is ice that forms on the ground, trees, or objects when their surface temperature is below the freezing point of water. It can occur when the ground cools faster than the air, even without an air frost,” he added.
Also Read: After Rains For 3 Days, Night Temp In Odisha To Fall Again By 2-4°C
Some netizens also called out the news report and social media posts, saying that these are misleading.
“There is a difference between #Snowfall (ତୁଷାରପାତ) & #Frost(ତୁହିନ). What we have seen today at Northern parts of #Odisha (parts of Sundargarh: Koida-Tensa) it’s Frost not Snowfall,” a user by the name Odisha Weather posted on X.
“It’s frost, not snow. It’s near my hometown,” a user said.
“In deomali (koraput ) also we have Frost… Which your news agency is calling it snow… [sic],” said another user.
“For Jagannath’s sake, stop saying snowfall and make a joke of self. Even IMD has started reporting Ground Frost as a weather situation,” another user said.
“It doesn’t snow in Odisha. Some places receive a few nights of frost. That’s just frozen dew,” wrote another.
“I really want Ish baar Record Tute aur Minus Mein Temprature jaye…. I wanna experience Snowfall ! This is Frost…. I wanna experience Real Snowfall in Odisha,” another user posted on X.
Odisha’s climate is not conducive for snow due to its low elevation and proximity to the coast. Its winter temperatures typically range from 5°C to 20°C, far above the freezing point required for snow.
