IMD Predicts Light Rain and Thunderstorms for 12 Odisha Districts
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast on Sunday indicating that at least 12 districts in Odisha are likely to experience light rain or thunderstorm activities over the next two days, specifically on Monday and Tuesday. This precipitation is expected to occur under the influence of a well-marked low-pressure area that persists over the southwest Bay of Bengal.
Districts Expected to Be Affected
According to an IMD bulletin, the districts anticipated to witness rainfall, thunderstorm activities, or an overcast sky include Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Khordha, Puri, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal, and Mayurbhanj. Additionally, warnings for lightning and gusty surface winds will continue in some other districts across the state.
Manorama Mohanty, a scientist and head of the regional IMD centre in Bhubaneswar, clarified that isolated places within these districts might only see light rain, thunderstorms, or overcast conditions due to the prevailing weather system.
Details of the Low-Pressure System
The bulletin elaborated that the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is accompanied by an associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 5.8 kilometers above the mean sea level. This system is projected to move west-north-westwards initially before gradually recurving northeastwards over the southwest Bay of Bengal within the next two days.
Temperature Trends and Other Weather Phenomena
IMD scientist Manorama Mohanty also highlighted that night temperatures in Odisha are likely to rise by two to three degrees Celsius over the same period. This forecast comes amid an already observed upward trend in night temperatures at several locations across the state.
In terms of temperature records, the hill station G Udayagiri recorded the day's lowest temperature in the state at 12°C, with Phulbani following closely at 12°C as well. The IMD bulletin noted that minimum temperatures were appreciably above normal by about 3-5°C at a few places in interior Odisha and above normal by about 2-3°C at many other interior locations.
Conversely, night temperatures were below normal by approximately 3°C at one or two places in north Coastal Odisha, while remaining normal elsewhere in the state. Additionally, dense fog reducing visibility to 50 meters was experienced in Kendrapara town during the morning hours, adding to the varied weather conditions.
