Dense Fog Engulfs Odisha, Disrupts Early Morning Transport
After a hiatus of several days, a thick blanket of dense fog descended upon the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in Odisha on Tuesday, significantly impairing rail and road communications during the early morning hours. This meteorological event coincided with a slight increase in night temperatures observed in certain pockets across the state, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Visibility Drops to 50 Meters, Multiple Districts Affected
The IMD confirmed that the dense fog drastically reduced visibility to as low as 50 meters, not only in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack but also in other areas including Paradip, Jagatsinghpur, and Angul. Manorama Mohanty, head of the regional IMD centre in Bhubaneswar, attributed the fog formation to elevated moisture content combined with calm wind conditions, describing it as a purely local phenomenon.
She emphasized that the dense fog warning would persist for at least two more days, specifically targeting isolated places within ten districts: Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Angul, and Dhenkanal.
Temperature Trends and Weather Systems
In addition to the fog advisory, Mohanty indicated that night temperatures are expected to gradually rise by 2°C to 3°C starting from Wednesday. Meanwhile, the IMD noted the formation of a fresh low-pressure area over the equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. According to an IMD scientist, this system is likely to intensify by Wednesday but is projected to have no direct impact on Odisha's weather conditions.
The latest IMD bulletin forecasts that the system will move west-northwestwards, becoming more marked over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean around Wednesday.
Statewide Temperature Variations Recorded
Official reports highlighted a drop in night temperatures in some parts of the state during the day. The hill station of G Udayagiri in Kandhamal district recorded the coldest temperature at 7.8°C, followed by Rourkela and Phulbani in the plains at 10°C. Bhubaneswar city experienced a minimum temperature of 18.4°C, marking a 0.8°C decrease compared to the normal range.
Residents and commuters are advised to exercise caution due to reduced visibility and potential transport delays, as the fog conditions are anticipated to linger in the coming days.
