Bhubaneswar: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued orange and yellow warnings for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds, and hail in several districts of Odisha. The warnings are in effect from April 8 to April 11, 2026, and residents have been urged to exercise caution during afternoon and evening hours.
According to the IMD’s midday weather bulletin, April 8 will see orange alerts for thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds reaching 50–60 km/h, and hail in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, and Angul. Thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall are also expected in Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khordha, Jajpur, and Dhenkanal. Meanwhile, yellow warnings have been issued for districts including Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, and Deogarh, where thunderstorms with lightning and winds of 40–50 km/h are likely. Moderate thunderstorms with gusty winds of 30–40 km/h are expected at one or two places in Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Malkangiri.
For April 9, the IMD has issued orange warnings for Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Jajpur, where thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds, hail, and heavy rainfall are very likely. Yellow warnings cover a larger area, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sundergarh, Deogarh, and Sambalpur, with gusty winds of 40–50 km/h expected. Moderate thunderstorms with winds of 30–40 km/h are predicted at one or two places in Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Bargarh, and Jharsuguda.
On April 10 and 11, yellow warnings continue for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 km/h at one or two places across Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri.
The IMD has advised residents to stay alert, avoid outdoor activities during the afternoon and evening hours, and take precautionary measures to minimise risks from lightning, hail, and strong winds.
