Bhubaneswar: With Odisha experiencing blistering hot summer already, the mercury soared to 44.6⁰C again in Jharsuguda by 2.30 pm on Friday.
The industrial town had emerged as the hottest place in the country on Wednesday, recording 3.4 degrees above normal temperature of 44.6⁰C. Jharsuguda along with Talcher recorded 44°C the following day when 24 places, including Twin Cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, in the State recorded temperature above 40⁰C.
The other western districts, which bore the brunt of the scorching weather this afternoon, include Sambalpur (42.8⁰C), Hirakud (42.6⁰C) and Rourkela (42.4⁰C). Bhubaneswar, where mercury had soared past 42⁰C on Thursday, recorded 39.2⁰C on Friday.
While there is no heatwave warning for Odisha, India Meteorological Department has warned of hot and humid conditions at isolated places in the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati till April 25, following which the day temperature across the state is likely to fall by 2-4⁰C amid the continuing thunderstorm activity.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts on April 24; Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Rayagada districts on April 25 and Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri on April 26.
Similar weather condition with wind speed of 40-50 kmph may continue in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada on April 27; Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Balasore, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Gajapati on April 28 and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri on April 29-30.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (30-40 kmph) may also occur in the afternoon/evening hours at Sundargarh, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri on April 29-30. The weather agency has also warned of squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting up to 65 kmph along and off North Coastal Odisha on April 27-28.