Bhubaneswar: Conditions have become favourable for the further advance of the southwest monsoon into parts of Odisha during the next four to five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday, even as it issued an Orange Warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds in several districts of the state.
According to the Midday Weather Bulletin issued by the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, the southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of the northeastern states, the entire Sikkim and parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. The weather office said conditions are now favourable for its further advance into Odisha, along with parts of eastern and central India, over the next four to five days.
The IMD forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at a few places across all districts of Odisha till Wednesday morning. An Orange Warning has been issued for Balasore, Bhadrak, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sonepur, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, where thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 50-60 kmph are likely at isolated places.
A Yellow Warning for thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 40-50 kmph has been sounded for several other districts, including Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, Angul, Nayagarh, Kalahandi and Rayagada. Hot and humid weather conditions are also likely to prevail in some coastal and adjoining districts.
The weather office indicated that thunderstorm activity is likely to continue across the state over the next week. From June 11 onwards, rainfall activity is expected to intensify, with light to moderate rain or thundershowers likely at many places. Heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated locations in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Koraput and Malkangiri districts on June 11, while Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Gajapati districts may receive heavy rain the following day.
The bulletin also referred to reports of damage caused by a Kalbaishakhi storm that struck Bhubaneswar on Monday. Around 20 sweet stalls at Pahala were damaged, while traffic on National Highway-16 was disrupted after an uprooted tree blocked the road. A parked car was also damaged in the incident.
According to media reports cited by the IMD, four people lost their lives in storm-related incidents across Odisha, including two in Dhenkanal district and one each in Cuttack and Ganjam districts.
Among the highest rainfall recorded during the past 24 hours were 60 mm at Karlamunda in Kalahandi district, 50 mm at Digapahandi in Ganjam district, and 40 mm each at Banpur in Khurda district, Kesinga in Kalahandi district and Odagaon in Nayagarh district.
Temperature levels remained above normal in several parts of the state. Titilagarh recorded the highest maximum temperature at 42 degrees Celsius, while Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Bhawanipatna reported the lowest minimum temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. The IMD said there would be no significant change in maximum temperatures during the next three days, followed by a fall of 2-3 degrees Celsius thereafter.
For Bhubaneswar and adjoining areas, the weather office forecast a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of rain or thunderstorms during the next 24 hours. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 39 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
The IMD has advised people to remain alert during thunderstorm activity, avoid taking shelter under trees, stay away from water bodies and follow traffic advisories issued by local authorities.
