Bhubaneswar: Odisha is bracing for a renewed spell of winter chill starting December 25, senior meteorologist Umasankar Das posted on X on Monday.
According to Das, the intensity of cold is expected to increase again across the state from Christmas Day onwards. This comes after a period of relatively milder conditions influenced by recent weather systems.
The shift is attributed to the departure of a western disturbance, allowing dry and cold winds from the north-west to flow more freely into the region. With the increased influx of these dry, cold air masses, temperatures are likely to d
rop further, heightening the winter’s grip from December 25, he noted.
Current weather patterns show persistent cold conditions in many parts of Odisha, with dense fog reported in interior areas until around December 24.
In the last 24 hours, Koraput experienced a steep deviation, with its minimum temperature plummeting 7.2°C below normal to register a chilly 5.5°C. G Udayagiri, a hill station in Kandhamal was close second at 6.8°C. The other places which recorded temperature below 10°C include Daringbadi, also in Kandhamal, 7°C, Phulbani, the district headquarters of Kandhamal, and Semiliguda in Koraput at 8°C each, Nabarangpur (8.8°C), Boudh (9.2°C), Rourkela and Chiplima in Sambalpur at 9.9°C.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 13.6°C and 12.4°C respectively, according to the India Meteorological Department.
Dense fog also engulfed Rourkela, Balangir, Sonepur, Jharsuguda and Phulbani this morning, while moderate fog occured in Bhawanipatna and Koraput.