Bhubaneswar: Amid a heatwave warning, the mercury soared to 43°C at three places in Odisha by 2.30 pm on Monday.
Jharsuguda recorded the highest maximum temperature of 43.6°C followed by Rourkela and Sambalpur at 43°C each. Hirakud (42°C) was the only other place in the state that breached the 40°C-mark. State capital Bhubaneswar recorded 36°C and Balasore 38°C. Coastal areas of Puri, Gopalpur and Paradip were relatively cooler at 31.6°C, 31.2°C, 30.8°C respectively.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heatwave conditions at isolated places in the districts of Jharsuguda, Balangir, Kalahandi, Boudh, Nayagarh and Sonepur on April 27-28. While hot and humid conditions may continue to prevail at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati till May 1; Jharsuguda, Balangir, Kalahandi, Boudh, Nayagarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur are also expected to experience warm nights on April 27-28 after which the temperature across the state may fall by 2-3°C amid heightened thunderstorm activity.
According to the midday bulletin, thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack
, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on these two days.
Similar weather conditions with wind speed of 40-50 kmph may continue in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Nabarangpur on April 29; Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal on April 30; and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Balangir, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Angul and Dhenkanal on May 1-2.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Malkangiri on April 29; Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Angul, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, and Dhenkanal on April 30; Balasore, Bhadrak, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Sundargarh on May 1-2; and Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Balasore on May 3, it added.
For the second time in three days, as many as 12 places in Odisha recorded maximum temperatures above 42°C on Sunday, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. And, like on Friday, Jharsuguda sizzled the most — at 44.8°C!
The other places which boiled at 42 degrees-plus were Sonepur (43.7), Titlagarh (43.6°C), Bhawanipatna (43.4°C), Balangir (43.1°C), Sambalpur (43°C), Boudh (43°C), Sundargarh (42.8°C), Rourkela (42.7°C), Nuapada (42.5°C), Hirakud (42.4°C), Nayagarh (42.5°C).
At least four other places saw the mercury rise to 40°C.