Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a special weather bulletin warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and squally winds across Odisha between August 18 and 19, 2025, as a fresh low-pressure system is set to form over the Bay of Bengal.
According to the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, the current low-pressure area that developed over south Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh has moved into south Chhattisgarh and its neighbourhood by Saturday morning. This system, accompanied by a cyclonic circulation up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, is tilting southwestwards with height. It is likely to drift west-northwestwards, weaken gradually, and reach Gujarat by August 18 as a remnant cyclonic circulation.
However, the IMD cautioned that a new low-pressure area is expected to develop over the northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal around August 18, which will bring another spell of intense rainfall activity across many parts of Odisha.
Rainfall & Thunderstorm Warnings:
August 16–17 (Day 1–2):
Yellow Warning has been issued for Malkangiri and Koraput, where heavy rain and thunderstorms with lightning are likely. Thunderstorms with gusty winds of 30–40 kmph may also occur in districts including Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Boudh, Sonepur, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nawarangpur, and Rayagada.
August 18 (Day 3):
Orange Warning has been issued for Malkangiri and Koraput, which are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and gusty winds.
Yellow Warning applies to Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, and Nuapada (heavy rain likely), while thunderstorms are predicted for almost all remaining districts, including coastal Odisha, western Odisha, and northern belts.
August 19 (Day 4):
Orange Warning has been sounded for Koraput and Kalahandi, while Malkangiri and Bolangir are under Yellow Warning for heavy rain. Widespread thunderstorms are expected in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Nawarangpur, and Rayagada.
August 20 (Day 5):
Yellow Warning continues for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati, where thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely.
Sea & Wind Conditions: The IMD has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast and adjoining west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal between August 18 and 20, when sea conditions are expected to be rough to very rough. Squally winds with speeds of 40–50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph, may prevail during this period.
Meanwhile, several districts have already experienced significant rainfall in the past 24 hours, with Bari in Jajpur recording 9 cm, Binjharpur (Jajpur) 8 cm, Kotpad (Koraput) 7 cm, Bandhugaon (Koraput) 6 cm, Titlagarh (Bolangir) 6 cm, Mathili (Malkangiri) 6 cm, Cuttack 6 cm, and Banpur (Khurda) 5 cm.
Dr. Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, emphasized that people must “stay alert to worsening weather conditions and be prepared to move to safer places if necessary.”
