Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to remain under the grip of winter chill, as cold wave conditions are expected to persist for another three days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which shared the update on Wednesday.
Cold wave conditions may prevail at isolated pockets in the district of Cuttack, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Dhenkanal, Angul and Jharsuguda till January 15 morning; Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Angul, Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Sonepur, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda during the subsequent 24 hours. Similar conditions may persist in isolated pockets of Bhadrak, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Angul, Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Sonepur, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda for next 24 hours till January 16 morning.
Shallow to moderate fog may also occur during early hours/morning hours at one or two places in the district of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Koraput, Puri, Khordha, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur during this period.
This alert was issued amid plunging temperatures, with Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district recording -1°C this morning, marking one of the lowest readings in the state this winter season. The mercury level had dropped to zero degree Celsius in the Park on January 8.
On Friday morning, G Udayagiri in Kandhamal was close second at 3.7°C, Rourkela at 6°C, Jharsuguda and Angul at 6.4°C each, Phulbani at 7°C, Sundargarh at 8.4°C and Keonjhar at 8.8°C. The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 12.1°C and 11.4°C respectively, almost 3°C below normal. The minimum temperature in these cities is likely to drop to 10°C during the next 3 days.
The IMD further predicted a rise in the night temperature 2-4°C after 3-4 days.
