Bhubaneswar: Heavy to very heavy rain is expected to lash several parts of Odisha over the next few days as a low-pressure area persists over the northwest Bay of Bengal, off the Odisha coast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Red Alert for Koraput and Malkangiri districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
The IMD said the system is likely to become stronger and move in a west-northwest direction over the next two days. An associated cyclonic circulation is also active, extending up to 7.6 km above sea level and tilting southwestward with height.
The monsoon trough is currently passing through several states, including Odisha, and extends up to 1.5 km above sea level. It continues to pass through the center of the low-pressure area and is supported by two cyclonic circulations.
This weather pattern is expected to bring widespread rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms across the state.
According to the IMD’s evening weather bulletin, a Red Warning has been issued for scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls, along with thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 30–40 km/h, very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Koraput and Malkangiri.
An Orange Warning has been issued for scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds (30–40 km/h) likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandhamal, and Gajapati.
A Yellow Warning has been issued for scattered heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds (30–40 km/h) likely at one or two places over the districts of Ganjam, Bolangir, Nuapada, Puri, Nayagarh, and Khurda. Additionally, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (30–40 km/h) are likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sonepur, and Boudh in the next 24 hours.
For August 28, an Orange Warning has again been issued for Malkangiri, with a Yellow Warning in effect for several other districts, including Koraput, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, and Puri. Thunderstorms and gusty winds are also expected in Rayagada, Nuapada, Bolangir, and other nearby areas.
The IMD has extended a Yellow Warning for possible heavy rain and thunderstorms in parts of Odisha till August 31.
Due to rough sea conditions, the IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast and over the North Bay of Bengal on August 26 and 27.
