Bhubaneswar: Amid the scorching heat and shooting temperatures, coastal districts in Odisha have experienced some relief with a marginal decline in the mercury levels since Saturday due to moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.
By 2.30 pm on Sunday, Bhubaneswar recorded 34.4°C, Balasore 34.8°C, Paradip 31.2°C, Gopalpur 30.8°C and Puri 31.4°C. However, western districts continued to sizzle with Jharsuguda recording the highest maximum temperature of 43°C, followed by Sambalpur at 42.8°C and Hirakud and Rourkela at 42.4°C each.
On Saturday, the mercury had dropped by 1.5 and 1.3 degrees below normal in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack Bhubaneswar respectively and stood at 36.8°C and 36.6°C. Similarly, Balasore recorded 33.5°C (-3.1), Paradip 32.5°C (-0.2), Puri 32.3°C and Gopalpur 31.8°C (-0.2).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a further dip in the day temperature by 2-4°C after 2-3 days when the sultry spell is expected to continue in the coastal area.
According to the midday bulletin, hot and humid conditions may prevail at isolated places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati on April 26-27. There is also a warning for thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Gajapati, Rayagada and Ko
raput districts on April 26; and Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Balasore on April 27.
Thunderstorm activity with wind speed of 40-50 kmph may continue in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal on April 28; Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore and Kandhamal on April 29; Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam on April 30; and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Balangir, Nuapada and Sundargarh on May 1.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours in Rayagada, Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Koraput on April 28; Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Nanarangpur, Kalahandi & Dhenkanal on April 29; Angul, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Bolangir, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapada, Khurda, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Puri, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Sundergarh and Deogarh on April 30; Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Boudh on May 1; Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on May 2.
The IMD has also warned of squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph along & off the North Odisha Coast on April 26. The wind speed may increase to 50-60 kmph gusting up to 70 kmph the following two days and decrease again to 45-55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph along the northern coast on April 29-30.
Fishermen have advised not to venture into the sea along the northern coast during this period.