Bhubaneswar: The temperature, which had crossed 44 degree Celsius in some places in Odisha, dropped below 40 degree across the state due to thunderstorm activity on Friday.
According to evening bulletin of the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar, Nuapada registered the highest day temperature of 39.4 degree Celsius, followed by Jharsuguda with 38.6, Pralakhemundi 37.7, Sundargarh 37.5, Baripada 37.4, Jajpur and Chhatrapur 37 degree Celsius.
The rest of Odisha also felt a sigh of relief from weeklong spell of heatwave as the mercury dropped below 37 degree Celsius.
Bhubaneswar, where the temperature had shot up to 42.6 degree Celsius on Thursday, had a cooling experience as the mercury dropped to 36.1 degree Celsius.
The entire state witnessed thunderstorm activity with lightning, gusty surface wind and rainfall in some parts under the influence of a western disturbance in the last 24 hours.
The IMD has issued yellow warning and stated that thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to occur at one or two places in the districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi,
Nawarangpur, Nuapada, Balangir, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri.
It has forecast that light to moderate rain or thunderstorm is very likely to occur at few places in South Interior Odisha, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Angul, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Bargarh.
Maximum temperature (day temperature) is very likely to fall by 3 to 5 degree Celsius during next 3 days and no large change is likely thereafter at many places in the state, the Met office stated.