Western Odisha Continues To Reel Under Heatwave; Balangir Hottest With 45 Degree Celsius

Bhubaneswar: Even as heatwave has abated marginally in coastal areas of Odisha due to thunderstorm activities, the rest areas continued to reel under high temperature on Thursday.

According to evening bulletin of the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar, as many as 29 places, mostly in western Odisha, recorded temperature of 40 degree Celsius or more on Thursday.

Balangir was the hottest place in the state with maximum (day) temperature of 45 degree Celsius. Five other places registered day temperature of more than 44 degree Celsius. Those are Angul (44.7), Talcher (44.6), Nuapada (44.5), Titlagarh (44.5) and Boudh (44.3).

The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack registered maximum temperature of 39 and 38.6 degree Celsius on the day.

The IMD has issued an orange warning for the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Balangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi where heatwave condition is very likely to prevail in next 24 hours.

However, it has forecast light to moderate rain/thundershower at one or two places in the districts of coastal Odisha, Rayagada, Koraput, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal during the period.

Respite from heatwave in coastal region till May 12

SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) in Bhubaneswar said coastal areas of Odisha got a respite from the grueling heat as the northwesterly wind pattern which favoured the heatwave conditions changed both on the land and in the sea.

The heatwave condition is unlikely to sustain in the coastal belt upto May 12 but heatwave like situation will persist in interior districts of the state till May 6, said SC Sahu, Director of CEC.

“During this period, the day temperature will vary between 40 degree C and 43 degree C in the interior districts and 38 degree C and 41 degree C in the coastal region. But there will be relief from the heat between May 7 and 12 in
most of the places in interior districts with the day temperature hovering between 36 degree C and 40 degree C,” he said.

In the coastal districts, the day temperature will vary between 35 degree C and 39 degree C during this period, Sahu said adding that there was also probability of thunderstorm accompanied by rain and lightning, locally known as
‘Kalabaisakhi’, in the coastal and interior districts between May 6 and 10.

There may be sporadic ‘Kalabaisakhi’ in the coastal region and adjoining districts between May 1 and 6, he added.