No Let-Up In Intense Cold Wave Sweeping Odisha Till Jan 2

Bhubaneswar: The intense cold wave sweeping across Odisha will relent after January 2, said a release by the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday.

Odisha is experiencing intense cold wave due to heavy snowfall in the northern region of the country and the cold wind blowing from the Himalayan range. According to the modular study, the cold wave will continue in Odisha till January 2, the release said.

According to the former director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu, since the passing of the cyclonic storm Phethai through the Odisha coast, there is a constant flow of cold wind to the state from the north-west direction. “Had the cyclonic storm made the landfall on the Odisha coast, it would have blocked the north-westerly wind to the state. Under the influence of the north-westerly wind, there is no moisture in the atmosphere as wind is no longer blowing from the sea towards the land. As a result, the condition is favourable for cold wave to prevail in the state,” he pointed out.

Sahu further said that there was a possibility of sporadic rainfall in some parts of the interior Odisha on December 27 and coastal and South Odisha on December 28 due to the formation of a trough line over the state, which will further intensify the cold wave condition.

However, there will be a change in the weather condition in the state after January 2, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the cold wave condition continued in the state on Wednesday though there was a marginal fall in the night temperature.

While Daringbadi in Kandhamal district recorded the lowest temperature of 5.5 degree Celsius, the mercury dropped below 10 degree Celsius at seven places – Phulbani (6), Sonepur (9.8), Sundargarh (9), Sambalpur (9.9), Keonjhar (9.1), Jharsuguda (9.4) and Angul (8.6).

The twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar recorded 11.8 and 12.4 degree Celsius respectively, while temperature remained within 12 degrees at most places in the state.