Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre has issued a series of Yellow Warnings spanning the next five days, alerting residents across Odisha to a combination of severe thunderstorms, heatwave conditions, and warm nights. The warnings, categorized as “Be Aware,” come amid isolated heavy rainfall in Koraput district and soaring temperatures in the western belt.
According to the midday bulletin released at 2.00 PM today, no significant synoptic system lies over the region. However, local convective activity and moisture incursion are expected to trigger hazardous weather in several pockets.
Day 1 Yellow Warning (Valid until 0830 hrs IST of April 23): The IMD has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph. These conditions are very likely to occur in the afternoon and evening hours across 16 districts, including Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, Ganjam, and Gajapati.
Simultaneously, a Heatwave Warning is in effect for isolated places in Bolangir and Jharsuguda, where the maximum temperature reached 43.6°C earlier today. Furthermore, Hot and Humid conditions are expected to cause discomfort in 17 districts, ranging from Sundergarh and Sambalpur to coastal hubs like Bhadrak and Kendrapara.
Extended Warning Outlook (Days 2 to 5):
Days 2 & 3 (April 23-25): Thunderstorm and lightning warnings remain concentrated over Koraput and Malkangiri. Heatwave warnings expand to include Sambalpur on Day 2. Notably, a shift in nighttime conditions is expected as Warm Night Warnings come into effect for Bolangir and Kandhamal starting Day 3 (April 24).
Day 4 (April 25-26): The alert intensifies for southern districts, with wind speeds likely to gust up to 40-50 kmph in Ganjam, Gajapati, and Rayagada. The Warm Night Warning continues for Bolangir and Kandhamal.
Days 6 & 7 (April 27-29): The warning status reduces to NIL as thunderstorm activity becomes more isolated and dry weather is expected to return to most of the state.
Capital City Alert:
For Bhubaneswar, the IMD forecast includes the possibility of thunderstorm development with lightning in the next 24 hours. The city is expected to record a maximum temperature of around 41°C.
The Met office has advised residents in the warned districts to remain indoors during peak thunderstorm hours and take precautions against heat exposure in the western districts.
