Bhubaneswar: The mercury soared in Odisha on Friday with Sonepur touching 42.2 degrees Celsius.
Six other places in the state also recorded above 40 degrees Celsius. The temperature at Angul was 41.5 degrees C, followed by Balagir at 41.5 degrees C, Talcher at 41.4 degrees C, Titlagarh at 41.2 degree C, Boudh at 41.2 degrees C and Malkangiri at 40 degrees C.
Earlier in the day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there will be no major change in the maximum temperature across Odisha for the next four to five days. The day temperature is likely to be 40°C and more in some places in the interior districts, it added.
According to the weather forecast for the next 24 hours, light to moderate rain or thundershower is very likely to occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts.
As for Bhubaneswar, the IMD predicted a partly cloudy sky with possibility of development of thunder or lightning in the next 24 hours. The maximum temperature is very likely to be around 38°C and the minimum temperature around 26°C, it said.