Bhubaneswar: While the first cyclone of this season ‘Remal’ spared Odisha, it enhanced the flow of dry westerly-northwesterly winds towards the state, triggering a rise in the day temperature.
By 11.30 am, the mercury had soared to 40°C and above at three places in the state. Jharsuguda was the hottest at 40.6°C followed by Hirakud (40.2°C) and Sambalpur (40°C). Bhubaneswar recorded 37.7°C and humidity of 66%. By 8.30 am, the mercury had touched 32.6°C in the city while humidity level was 83%. Other coastal areas that recorded high humidity levels include Paradip (81%), Puri (80%), Gopalpur (79%), Chandbali (75%), and Balsore (74%).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued yellow warning of hot and humid weather condition for one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts from May 28-30.
Along with hot and humid conditions, heatwave may prevail in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Balangir, Sambalpur, and Nuapada districts on May 29-30.
On May 31, thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi.
Yellow warning of thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is also likely in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on June 1.
The weather agency further said that the day temperature may rose by 2-4 degree Celsius at many places in the state during the next 3 days.
According to IMD’s monsoon update, Odisha is heading for a warmer June. The state is also likely to experience below normal south-west monsoon rains between June and September. “The probability of Odisha receiving below normal rains is not very high. Climatologically, in the past years when La Nina or El Nino conditions prevailed, north-eastern states, Odisha and other adjoining areas had recorded below normal rains during the south-west monsoon season,” he told The New Indian Express.
