Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said an intense cold wave will sweep Odisha in the next 24 hours.
There will be a sharp fall in the night temperature by 4-5°C with the mercury most likely to fall below 10°C in some parts of western Odisha, an official of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar said. Besides, the temperature in the coastal pockets will come down to 10°C, he added.
As of 5.30 am on Saturday, the lowest night temperature was recorded in Jharsuguda at 8.2 degree Celsius followed by Phulbani (9.5) while the temperature remained at 15 degrees and below in Boudh (12.5), Daringbadi (10), Sonepur (13), Titlagarh (14.5), Koraput (11), Balangir (12.4), Bhawanipatna (13.2), Talcher (14), Hirakud (14.1), Sundagarh (12), Sambalpur (13), Keonjhar (11.7), Jharsuguda (8.2), Baripada (10.5), Angul (10), Cuttack (13.8), Chandbali (14.4) and Balasore (13.4).
In its morning bulletin, IMD said the formation of a high-pressure area over the coastal Odisha had obstructed the dry and cold wind from the north and north-west Himalayan region for the last week. However, as the high-pressure area has weakened, the condition is now favourable for an intense cold wave in the state in the next 24 hours as the cold wind has started blowing from the north.