Bhubaneswar: The State heaved a sigh of relief from the extreme cold condition as temperatures in most of the places have increased above normal due to cloudy skies.
The mercury levels are hovering 5-7 degrees above normal in most parts of the state, according to weather expert Umashankar Dash. The increase in cloud cover has led to a surge in night temperatures, signaling an end to the bitterly cold winter.
As of 5:30 am today, Jharsuguda recorded 11.6 degrees (+5.4), Bhubaneswar 17 degrees (+6.8), Baleswar 17 degrees (+5.4), and Kendujhar 15 degrees (+6.0). Satellite data shows cloudy skies in northern coastal Odisha, interior Odisha, and southern Odisha, with only some areas of Sundargarh, Bargarh, and Sambalpur remaining cloud-free.
The State was reeling under nail-biting cold for the last couple of days with night temperature in several places dropping to less than 5 degrees C. Some places also recorded 0 degrees C while places in Similipal regions had also witnessed a minus one degree C night temperature.
