Bhubaneswar: Mercury soared to 40°C and above at two places in Odisha by 2.30 pm on Sunday. Jharsuguda was the hottest at 41°C followed by Sambalpur at 40°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Hirakud also in Sambalpur district was close third at 39.6°C. While Balasore recorded 37.2°C, Chandabali and Bhubaneswar were at 37°C each. The day temperature is likely to gradually rise by 2-3°C across the state during the next 3-4 days. The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 40-41°C in twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack during the next seven days, said IMD’s midday bulletin.
This comes amid favourable conditions for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of southeast Arabian Sea, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Andaman Islands and Andaman Sea, and some parts of eastcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 2-3 days.
Thunderstorm activity till May 23
The national forecaster has also predicted squally weather with thunderstorm activity in Odisha till May 23. Orange and yellow warnings have been issued for several states.
On May 17, thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (40-50 kmph) may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in the districts of Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Gajapati and Ganjam. Similar weather conditions may continue in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Gajapati and Ganjam on May 18, and Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri on May 19.
On May 20, an orange warning of thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (50-40 kmph) has been issued in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts. Similar weather conditions with wind speed of 40-50 kmph may also occur in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Gajapati.
Yellow warning of thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind (40-50 kmph) continues for next three days: Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Gajapati on May 21; Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore and Bhadrak on May 22; Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri on May 23.