Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a series of Orange and Yellow weather warnings for Odisha, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds across various districts from May 19 to May 23. Hot and humid conditions are also expected in several regions during this period.
According to the IMD’s mid-day weather bulletin, a trough extends from the central parts of Punjab to northern Bangladesh, passing through a cyclonic circulation over Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and north Gangetic West Bengal. This system lies at about 0.9 km above mean sea level and is influencing the current weather activity across eastern India, including Odisha.
For May 19, the IMD has issued an Orange warning for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph, likely to occur during the afternoon or evening hours at one or two places in the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.
A Yellow warning has also been issued for thunderstorms with lightning and winds reaching 30–40 kmph in Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khordha, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Nuapada, and Balangir. Hot and humid weather conditions are also likely to prevail at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Cuttack, and Jagatsinghpur.
On May 20, a Yellow warning is in effect for thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 40–50 kmph at one or two places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Gajapati. A similar warning for thunderstorms with 30–40 kmph wind speeds has been issued for Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Balangir, and Nuapada. Additionally, hot and humid weather is likely at isolated locations in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.
On May 21, a Yellow warning has been issued for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 30–40 kmph at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
For May 22, the IMD has issued a Yellow warning for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, and Balasore.
On May 23, another Yellow warning has been issued for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph at one or two places in Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Ganjam. Thunderstorms with lightning and wind speeds of 30–40 kmph are also likely in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, and Jharsuguda.
The IMD further stated that there will be no major change in the maximum (daytime) temperatures over Odisha for the next six to seven days. However, temperatures are expected to remain equal to or above 40°C in isolated pockets of Sambalpur and Bargarh districts.
