Bhubaneswar: A harsh summer appears to be on the cards for Odisha which is witnessing an unusual spike in temperatures even at the beginning of March.
As the mercury rose menacingly in most regions, Titilagarh in Balangir district became the hottest place in the state on Saturday recording 38.5 degree Celsius, according to the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar.
The day temperature shot up to 37 degree Celsius or above in at least eleven places of the state. Jharsuguda recorded 38.2 degree Celsius, while Balangir followed closely recording 38 degree Celsius.
The day temperature in both Sonepur and Angul stood at 37.7 degree Celsius, while it was 37.6 degree in Sambalpur, 37.5 degree in Sundargarh, 37.2 degree in Bhawanipatna, 37.1 degree at Hirakud and 37 degree Celsius in Boudh as well as Baripada.
State capital Bhubaneswar as well as neighbouring Cuttack city recorded 34.2 degree Celsius during the day.
In its midday bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that maximum temperatures were appreciably above normal by 3-5°C in one or two places across North Interior Odisha. In other parts of the state, temperatures were 2-3°C above normal, with only a few areas recording normal temperatures.
It also noted that minimum temperatures (night temperatures) were significantly higher than usual, with many places in Interior parts recording a rise of 3-5°C. Coastal Odisha witnessed 2-3°C increase in minimum temperatures, while other regions remained stable. The bulletin further stated that no significant change in maximum or minimum temperatures is expected over the next 4-5 days, indicating that the current trend is likely to persist.
