Bhubaneswar: Odisha is bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall as a low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Gangetic West Bengal and North Odisha is likely to move nearly northwestwards across North Odisha and adjoining areas of Gangetic West Bengal during the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.
The low-pressure area lay over North Coastal Odisha and adjoining areas of Gangetic West Bengal and the Northwest Bay of Bengal at 5:30 pm on August 23, 2026, according to the IMD evening bulletin.
The weather system is expected to bring intense rainfall to several parts of the state, prompting the IMD to issue red, orange and yellow warnings for different districts.
Under the red warning, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at a few places, with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places, in Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts.
The IMD has issued an orange warning for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh.
Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds are also likely in several districts. Wind speeds may reach 40–50 kmph at one or two places, the IMD said.
The districts likely to experience thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds include Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh.
Meanwhile, a yellow warning has been issued for heavy rainfall at one or two places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Gajapati and Ganjam districts on August 24.
The IMD has advised people in the affected districts to remain alert and take necessary precautions in view of the possibility of intense rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds.
The weather system is being closely monitored as it moves northwestwards, with more areas of Odisha likely to experience rainfall activity over the next 24 hours.
