Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued an Orange Warning for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hailstorm and gusty surface winds in several districts of Odisha, while severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist in parts of western Odisha over the next few days.
According to the midday weather bulletin issued by the IMD’s India Meteorological Department, thunderstorms with lightning, hailstorm and winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph are likely at one or two places in Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Boudh and Bolangir districts during the afternoon and evening hours till Saturday morning.
The weather office also warned that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail at isolated places in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bolangir districts during the same period.
Yellow warnings for thunderstorms and gusty winds have been issued for several other districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh. Hot and humid weather conditions are also likely to prevail in many coastal and interior districts.
The IMD said light to moderate rain or thunderstorms are likely to occur at one or two places across all districts of Odisha on Friday, while similar conditions are expected to continue over several coastal and southern districts during the next five days.
The bulletin noted that heatwave conditions prevailed in Khurda, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts on Thursday, while hot and humid weather was experienced in Angul, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar. Severe warm night conditions were reported from Bolangir district.
Jharsuguda recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state at 45.5 degrees Celsius, while Boudh recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 24.3 degrees Celsius.
The IMD further stated that an upper air cyclonic circulation over interior Odisha and favourable conditions for further advance of the southwest monsoon over parts of the Bay of Bengal and adjoining regions are influencing the current weather pattern.
The IMD has advised people to avoid prolonged exposure to heat, remain indoors during thunderstorms, and stay away from trees, electric poles and water bodies during lightning activity.
