Bhubaneswar: The rainfall activity in Odisha is likely to increase with the likely formation of a cyclonic circulation over North Bay of Bengal around September 3 and it probable intensification into a low pressure area during subsequent 48 hours.
Under its influence, light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm & lightning with isolated heavy rainfall activity is likely over Odisha from September 2-5, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.
Odisha has been witnessing a weak monsoon, leading to a rise in the humidity level, which the MeT office said would continue for another 48 hours. “Due to subdued monsoon, the day temperature in coastal Odisha was recorded at 3 to 4 degrees above normal with humidity at 60%,” it said.
The weather agency has forecast thunderstorm with lightning at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Sonepur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Kandhamal, Boudh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada with light to moderate rain at a few places over next 12 hours. While similar warning continues for next two days, heavy rain may lash the state for four days from September 2 with little change in the weather during the subsequent two days, it added.
Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) at SOA University here had also forecast formation of a cyclonic circulation over east central and adjoining north-east Bay of Bengal off the Myanmar-Bangladesh coast on Wednesday with movement towards north-west Bay on September 2. “A low pressure area is likely to form in the afternoon of September 3 or morning of September 4 over northwest Bay of Bengal and the system might intensify into a depression on September 5,” a CEC bulletin said.
While light to moderate rainfall may continue from September 2, widespread precipitation with heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at a few places between September 4 and 7 over the state. There is also a probability of very heavy rain over coastal, north and western Odisha and widespread rainfall with heavy fall at some places in south Odisha. Extremely heavy rain is likely to occur on September 5 and 6 and the spell of rainfall in the ensuing week could offset the deficit rainfall in some of the districts, it added.
Notably, Odisha has recorded 784.9 mm rainfall against its normal value of 922.3 mm till September 1 this monsoon season. While one district has received excess rain, 11 are deficient and the rest 18 districts in the normal category.