Bhubaneswar: The weather is likely to change across Odisha from today as the regional center of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar has forecasted that thunderstorms and rain are likely to offer some relief from the prevailing heatwave conditions for the next four days.
The weather office has predicted kalbaisakhi in several Odisha districts today – including Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal where people have been reeling under scorching heatwave conditions. Surface wind speeds are likely to be 40 to 50 kmph in the north coastal Odisha adjoining western West Bengal. Keeping in view the situation and rough sea conditions, the IMD has alerted fishermen not to venture out into the sea till Wednesday.
While thunderstorm and lightning warnings have been issued for six Odisha districts today, the weather office has said that heatwave conditions are likely to prevail at some places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Boudh, Angul, Nayagarh, Nuapada, and Bolangir today.
Rain and thunderstorms are likely to bring down the mercury by 4°C to 6°C in most regions of Odisha during the next four days, the weather office said.
In addition, the IMD has said that thunderstorms with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are very likely to occur at one or two places in Puri, Khorda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi and on Tuesday. There is also the possibility of heavy rainfall (7 to 11cm) at one or two places in Ganjam, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Kandhamal.