Bhubaneswar: Some areas in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Balangir, and Kalahandi districts in Odisha experienced heavy rainfall on Friday, according to senior meteorologist Umasankar Das.
In the midday bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast thunderstorm/ lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph and heavy rainfall in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts. Thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph was also expected in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Boudh, and Sundargarh.
The weather agency further stated that thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph and heavy rainfall may continue in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri on May 24. Thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Balangir, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda.
On May 25, there is a warning for thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur.
On May 26, thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
Heavy rain may resume again under the impact of a low pressure which is expected to form over west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around May 27 and become more marked in the subsequent two days.
The weather agency has warned of thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph and heavy rainfall in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Koraput and Malkangiri districts on May 27.
Similar weather conditions may prevail in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Kalahandi on May 28 and Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Kalahandi on May 29.
Thunderstorm/lightning with surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati on May 27; Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar on May 28-29.
Notably, most weather models, including IMD GFS, NCUM, UKMO, ECMWF and NCEP-GFS, are indicating development of depression over west-central Bay of Bengal during end of the week (May 23-May 29). However, there is a large divergence among models with respect to movement of the weather system.
Climatologically, the Bay of Bengal experiences four cyclones annually – one develops during pre-monsoon season and four during post-monsoon season.