Bhubaneswar: As Odisha grapples with an early and intense summer, the western industrial town of Jharsuguda emerged as the hottest place in India on Wednesday, logging a blistering maximum temperature of 44.6 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The mercury soared past 40°C at 25 places in the state. Talcher followed closely at 43.5°C, Sambalpur at 43.3°C, Hirakud at 43.2°C, and Angul at 43.1°C. Even coastal and urban areas felt the pinch, with Bhubaneswar recording its highest temperature of the season at 41.2°C and neighbouring Cuttack reaching 39.8°C.
The extreme heat has disrupted daily life, emptying streets during peak afternoon hours, affecting outdoor workers, and prompting advisories for hydration and caution, particularly for vulnerable groups like the elderly and children. Schools in several districts of the state have also been shut.
Weather experts attribute the prolonged sultry conditions to a decline in Nor’wester (Kalbaishakhi) activity. Reduced moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal and the prevalence of dry north-westerly to westerly winds have limited pre-monsoon thunderstorms that typically bring temporary relief.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has warned of heatwave conditions at isolated spots in Balangir, Jharsuguda, and Sambalpur districts on Thursday. Hot and humid weather, along with warm night conditions, is likely to persist across parts of the state until at least Sunday.
The forecast indicates continued hot and humid conditions this week in districts including Balangir, Sundargarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati, with a chance of isolated thunderstorm activity providing some respite in places.
