Bhubaneswar: City denizens could feel the heat, literally, as mercury shot up to 41.2 degree Celsius here, the highest in the state on Monday.
The temperature, which had remained more or less normal in the coastal and northern Odisha since last two weeks under the influence of the Norwester, witnessed a sharp rise with as many as 10 places recording above 40 degree C, a Met office release said.
Besides Bhubaneswar, mercury hovered over 40 degree Celsius in Chandbali (40.4), Angul (40.3), Jharsuguda (40.6), Sambalpur (40), Hirakud (40.6), Talcher (40.6), Balangir (41), Titlagarh (41) and Malkangiri (40.2).
Normal life was thrown out of gear in Bhubaneswar as temperature rose sharply after 8 am. By noon, most of the busy thoroughfares in the city wore a deserted look as all roadside shops and small trading establishments downed their shutter due to intense heat.
A Met release this evening warned of steady rise in the day and night temperature despite rain or thundershower at one or two places in Odisha in the next three days.
The Regional Meteorological Centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and hailstones in Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri districts till 7:45 pm.
Similar heat wave conditions would grip most places of Odisha for the next three days, it added.
Meanwhile, Director General, IMD, KJ Ramesh said that conditions are favourable for advance of southwest monsoon, which is likely to hit Kerala by May 15. Rainfall is expected to be normal this year. Monsoon rains are likely to be 97 percent of a long-term average, he added.
The IMD, which released its initial forecast for the four-month monsoon season, also said preliminary indications showed rains would be evenly distributed this year.
If the forecast holds true, it would be third successive normal monsoon.
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