Odisha Gripped by Intense Coldwave as Temperatures Plunge Across State
Bhubaneswar experienced a significant drop in night temperatures on Friday. The mercury fell sharply to 10.5 degrees Celsius. A persistent coldwave and dense fog affected several areas throughout Odisha. This chilling trend follows last week's conditions when the city's night temperature dipped to 9.2 degrees Celsius. The coldwave continued unabated for four consecutive days during that period.
Record-Breaking Lows in Jharsuguda and Other Regions
Jharsuguda town faced particularly severe cold weather. The temperature there dropped further to 5 degrees Celsius. Last week, the town recorded 5.1 degrees Celsius. This marked a 73-year low for the area. Jharsuguda also witnessed the day's highest temperature drop compared to normal levels, with a decrease of 7.5 degrees Celsius.
G Udayagiri in Kandhamal district emerged as the coldest spot in the state on Friday. It registered a frigid 2.6 degrees Celsius. Rourkela followed closely in the plains, recording 4.6 degrees Celsius. Cuttack saw temperatures fall to 10 degrees Celsius, representing a 4.4-degree drop from the normal range.
Widespread Coldwave Conditions and Reduced Visibility
Angul experienced an 8.4-degree Celsius drop from normal temperatures. Jagatsinghpur recorded 11.6 degrees Celsius. Both locations reported coldwave conditions according to an IMD bulletin. Very dense fog also reduced visibility to below 50 meters in Boudh district, creating hazardous conditions for residents and travelers.
IMD Forecast and District-Specific Warnings
The India Meteorological Department's latest forecast indicates these cold conditions will persist across Odisha for two more days. IMD has issued a coldwave warning for sixteen districts on Sunday. The affected districts include Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Angul, Boudh, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, and Puri.
Manorama Mohanty, head of the regional IMD centre in Bhubaneswar, provided some relief in her statement. She said night temperatures would gradually rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius after the next two days. This expected increase offers hope to residents enduring the current bitter cold.
