Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for several districts across Odisha, forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and gusty surface winds till October 4.
The alert comes in view of a trough associated with a well-marked low-pressure system stretching from the Gulf of Cambay to the west-central Bay of Bengal across south Odisha at 0.9 km above mean sea level.
In its mid-day weather bulletin, the IMD stated that this weather system is likely to intensify local atmospheric instability, leading to moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorm activity in many parts of the state over the next few days.
On October 30, heavy rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds (30–40 kmph) are very likely at one or two places in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Rayagada. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are also expected in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar.
The warning continues into October 1, with the IMD predicting similar weather conditions in Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi, along with isolated heavy rain in additional districts. Thunderstorm activity is also likely over Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar.
On October 2, the Yellow warning will remain in effect with forecasts of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam, while a wider belt—including central, coastal, and interior Odisha—is expected to witness thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds.
The yellow alert will continue till October 4.
In view of the rough weather conditions, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast and over the north and central Bay of Bengal from October 1 to 3.
