Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday forecast a gradual rise in the night temperature across Odisha by 2-3 degree Celsius during the next 3 days.
The mercury had dropped in the state during the last two days. G Udayagiri, the hill station, was the coldest place in the state for the second consecutive day at 7.4°C this morning, followed by Semiliguda in Koraput (10.2°C), Phulbani (10.5°C), Rourkela (11.3°C) and Jharsuguad (11.8°C).
Bhubaneswar recorded 17.4°C in the last 24 hours, which was 1.8°C below normal. The mercury had plummeted to 17.1°C and 17°C in twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack the previous day.
While dry weather condition may prevail for 3 days, the weather agency has warned of thunderstorm with lightning at isolated places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada and Balasore districts on February 19. Light rain may also occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjharg, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Balasore.
While there will be a slight increase in intensity of rain on February 20, thunderstorm with lightning warning continues for isolated places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Balasore. Light to moderate rain is likely at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam and Balasore, the MeT office said.
On February 21, light to moderate rain may continue at a few places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Ganjam and Gajapati districts. There is also a prediction for light rain at one or two places in Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Balasore during the subsequent 24 hours.