Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department on Monday issued a yellow warning for multiple districts of Odisha, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds over the next 24 hours, even as an upper air cyclonic circulation continues to influence weather conditions across the state.
According to the midday weather bulletin released by the Meteorological Centre Bhubaneswar, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 30–40 kmph are very likely to occur at isolated places in districts including Malkangiri, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri.
The weather agency attributed the prevailing conditions to an upper air cyclonic circulation over Odisha and neighbourhood at about 0.9 km above mean sea level, along with another circulation over the west-central Bay of Bengal.
Light to moderate rainfall has already been recorded in several parts of the state, including Nayagarh, Khurda, Rayagada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Ganjam and Sundargarh districts.
In addition to the yellow warning, the IMD also issued orange warnings for select districts, forecasting thunderstorms with lightning, hail and stronger winds reaching 50–60 kmph in parts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore, as well as several southern and coastal districts.
The bulletin noted a marked fall in maximum temperatures by 5–9°C across many parts of north interior Odisha, with temperatures remaining below normal in several districts.
For Bhubaneswar and adjoining areas, the forecast indicates a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thunderstorms, with temperatures likely to hover around 35°C (maximum) and 22°C (minimum) over the next 24 hours.
The IMD has advised people to remain alert, avoid taking shelter under trees during thunderstorms, and stay indoors where possible. Farmers have been cautioned about potential damage to standing crops and advised to take protective measures, including the use of hail nets.
Meanwhile, fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea along and off the north Odisha coast between April 7 and April 9 due to squally weather and rough to very rough sea conditions.
