Heatwave Warning For 16 Odisha Dists Today; Rain, Thunderstorm & Gusty Wind Also On Cards

Bhubaneswar: Amid the continuing heatwave warning, the India Meteorological Department on Monday forecast isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall accompanied by isolated thunderstorm, lightning and gusty wind (30-40 kmph) in Odisha on April 22-23.

This is being attributed to a cyclonic circulation over northeast Assam, another over northeast Bangladesh and a north-south trough, which runs from the cyclonic circulation over northeast Bangladesh to north Bay of Bengal in lower tropospheric levels.

According to the Met office, heatwave conditions may prevail at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Balangir, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Nuapada, and Nabarangpur during the next 24 hours. Hot and humid weather condition is also likely at many places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts.

By 8.30 am, Bhadrak was the hottest at 35.6°C followed by Balasore (35.4°C), Phulbani (34.6°C), Bhubaneswar (34.4°C) and Cuttack (34.2°C).

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The weather agency has also predicted a gradual fall in the day temperature by 2-3°C during the next 3 days and rise by 2-3°C thereafter at many places in the state.

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In view of the prevailing heatwave condition, the Odisha government has also declared summer vacations in all schools in the state from April 25. Additionally, the school timings for three days between April 22 and April 24 have been changed to 6.30 am-10.30 am.

On Sunday, the mercury had soared to 43°C or more at 9 places in the state with Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj, being the hottest at 44.6°C followed by Nuapada at 44°C, Talcher at 43.8°C, Jharsuguda and Keonjhar at 43.6°C each, Angul at 43.3°C, Balangir at 43.2 degree°C, and Sundargarh and Boudh at 43°C each.

The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 41.6°C each

According to Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), development of anticyclone in the Bay of Bengal may bring some respite from the extreme heatwave conditions prevailing across Odisha with week sea breeze flowing into the coastal districts and nearby regions till April 25.

It also forecast occurrence of norwester accompanied by rain and thunder in the coastal and southern districts of Odisha on April 22.

“However, the day temperature will hover between 38 degree Celsius and 41 degree Celsius in the interior districts and between 37 degree Celsius and 39 degree Celsius in the coastal belt. Some of the stations could record less than 36 degree Celsius also,” said CEC director Sarat Sahu.

The day temperature may shoot up subsequently due to disappearance of anti-cyclone and absence of sea breeze from April 26 which will continue till April 30 with day temperature rising to 44 or 45 degree Celsius from April 28, he added.