Bhubaneswar: After a heatwave spell when mercury shot up to 45°C, Odisha is likely to experience intense thunderstorm activity over the next seven days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Wednesday.
The weather agency has issued an orange warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (50-60 kmph) in the afternoon/evening hours for six districts over two days. Yellow warning for similar weather conditions with wind speed of 40-50 kmph has been issued till May 2. There is a warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) from May 1-5.
However, hot and humid conditions may continue at isolated places in the districts of Jharsuguda, Boudh, Sambalpur, Balangir, Angul, Sonepur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati on April 29; and Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati on April 30 and May 1.
Thunderstorm Warnings
Orange: Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Ganjam
and Gajapati districts on April 29; and Mayurbhanj and Balasore on April 30.
People in these districts have been advised to keep watch on weather and move to safer places during the thunderstorm activity to protect from lightning and follow traffic advisories in urban areas.
Yellow (40-50 kmph wind speed): Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri and Sundargarh on April 29; Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Angul and Dhenkanal on April 30; and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Nabarangpur on May 1-2.
Yellow (30-40 kmph wind speed): Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Malkangiri on May 1-2; Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar on May 3; Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Angul, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Ganjam and Gajapati on May 4; and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Balasore and Gajapati on May 5.
Squally weather with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph may prevail occasionally along & off the the coast from April 29 to May 1 and wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph on May 2-3.
The MeT office added that the maximum temperature across the state is unlikely to witness any large change during the next 6-7 days.