Bhubaneswar: Amid the prevailing heatwave conditions, mercury soared to 42 degree Celsius in Sambalpur by 11.30 am on Wednesday.
Jharsuguda and Hirakud logged 39.6 degree Celsius each followed by Chandbali (39), Bhubaneswar (38.2) and Keonjhar (38.1), the regional centre of India Metrological Department (IMD) informed.
According to a forecast, the day temperature is likely to touch 44 degree Celsius in Sambalpur and 43 degree Celsius in Sundargarh by the end of the day. Six places – Jharsuguda, Boudh, Titlagarh, Rourkela, Balangir and Angul – may record 42 degree Celsius. Mercury may hover around 41 degree Celsius in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Similar conditions are likely the following 2 days.
The sweltering heat in the western Odisha is being attributed to lack of thunderstorm activity.
The MeT office has predicted no large change in the maximum temperature during the next five days with mercury soaring to 42 degree Celsius in some interior districts – Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Bargarh – during this period.
On Tuesday, 22 places recorded 40 degree Celsius or more compared to 17 places on Monday. The day temperature breached 42 degree Celsius in 7 places in the state. Balangir was the hottest at 43.3 degree Celsius followed by Sambalpur (42.9), Jharsuguda (42.8), Sonepur (42.6), Bargarh (42.4), Hirakud (42.1) and Baripada (42). Bhubaneswar and Cuttack had recorded 42.6 degree Celsius and 41 degree Celsius respectively.
