Bhubaneswar: The southwest monsoon, which had been making steady progress in Odisha, has stalled and is unlikely to advance further in the next 7 days. The monsoon has covered some parts of southern Odisha but is not expected to move forward due to unfavourable atmospheric conditions, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that although the monsoon will not advance in the next 7 days, it will still be considered advanced, as it has already covered parts of the state. Normally, the monsoon covers the entire country by July 5.
Regional Meteorological Centre Director Manorama Mohanty said that the monsoon has covered some parts of southern Odisha but is not expected to advance further in the next 5-7 days. As a result, there is no possibility of rain in most parts of the state, except for a few isolated areas.
According to IMD, with the monsoon stalled, Odisha is expected to experience heatwave conditions in the coming days. The temperature is expected to rise, and a heatwave is anticipated to prevail in most parts of the state, including coastal districts such as Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.
Monday was a scorching day in Odisha, with many parts of the state experiencing extreme heat and humidity. The temperature soared close to 40 degrees Celsius in 14 cities, making life miserable for the residents.
The temperature soared in various cities of Odisha, with Balasore recording a high of 39.8°C, followed closely by Bhubaneswar at 39.6°C. Other cities that experienced temperatures above 39°C included Baripada, Talcher, Paralakhemundi, and Cuttack, all recording 39.4°C. Meanwhile, Hirakud and Sambalpur recorded 39.1°C, while Bhadrak reached 39°C.