"The associated upper air cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and the system is likely to intensify into a depression during the next 24 hours," IMD Director Sarat Sahu said.
Stating that rain and thundershower are likely to occur at most places in the State, Sahu warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places in the districts of south Odisha and heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in the districts of north Odisha during the next 24 hours.
Also Read: Heavy rains predicted in coastal and south Odisha till July 18
Sahu advised fishermen not to venture into the sea due to rough to very rough condition of the ocean, adding that strong gusty surface wind from north-easterly direction with speed reaching 45-55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Odisha coast.
People in Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Koraput, Bargarh, Malkangiri districts have been asked to remain alert till 1.15 PM today.
Moreover, the Met department has warned of moderate rainfall at one or two places over the seven districts.
Earlier on Friday, the Met department had predicted rain along with thunderstorm and lightning in north Odisha in the next 24 hours.
Heavy rain was also predicted over isolated places of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Dhenkanal districts in the next 24 hours.
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The Met office also informed that a low pressure is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal on August 19 triggering a slight increase in rain across the State from August 20.
The Indian Meteorological Department here issued heavy to very heavy rain alert for eight districts-Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Khurda, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Boudh, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, following a review meeting on flood and rainfall situations in the state on Tuesday, advised all the district Collectors to remain alert and adopt necessary measures to tackle emergencies.
The CM also asked the ODRAF and NDRF teams to remain prepared for any eventualities.
State Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said,” All the district collectors have been directed to remain alert. The existing systems to tackle flood-like situation in block and other levels have been activated. There is a disaster management plan in each district as well as block-level and officials concerned will be prepared accordingly to address all situations.”
While Phulbani turned out to as the coldest place in the state, temperature in the district headquarters town shot up from 6 degree Celsius on Wednesday to 8.2 degree Celsius on Thursday.
While the minimum temperature in Daringibadi, also in Kandhamal district, rose from Wednesday's 5.5 degree Celsius to 10 degree on Thursday, mercury stood at 9.5 degree Celsius in Sundargarh, 9.6 degree in Angul and 10 degree Celsius in Titlagarh and Balasore, a statement from the regional meteorological centre stated.
The minimum temperature in state capital Bhubaneswar went up to 13.4 degree Celsius from 12.4 degree Celsius recorded on Wednesday, while in neighbouring Cuttack it stayed at 12.2 degree Celsius on the day.
Director of the Meteorological Centre Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas said the minimum temperature is likely to plummet by 3 to 4 degree Celsius in most parts of Odisha after two days and cold conditions would prevail.
With agency inputs..
As per the forecast, thunderstorm accompanied by lightningl may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Angul, Dhenkanal and in rest of the districts of North Odisha. Alert for light rain has been issued for Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri and Ganjam districts of South Odisha.
"In the next 24 hours, rainfall is likely to occur in many places in north & coastal districts of Odisha. Five districts namely Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Angul and Dhenkanal are likely to witness thunderstorm accompanied by lightning," said a senior official of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre.
Earlier in the day, heavy rain lashed the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and many coastal areas of the State. Officials of the Met department have asked the concerned administrations to remain alert for the next two days.
The Met office has further predicted rainfall in coastal and interior areas till February 18 of this month.
As per the latest forecast of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, there will be no large change in maximum temperature (day temperature) during the next two days. However, the temperature is likely to rise by 2-3 degree Celsius thereafter over the districts of Odisha.
SRC Bishnupada Sethi informed that an action plan has been made to tackle the rising temperature in the State. "Heatwave action plan has been prepared by OSDMA. Special arrangements have been made at hospitals for the sunstroke patients. Steps have also been taken for 'no power cuts'. There will be restrictions in physical labour work during 11 AM to 3.30 PM till June 15 and also vehicular movement and traffic would be regulated in these peak hours," Sethi said.
Heatwave action plan prepared by OSDMA. Special arrangements made for sunstroke patients at hospitals. Steps to be taken for 'uninterrupted electricity supply': SRC
Here's what SRC Bishnupada Sethi says after the heatwave preparedness meeting today #HeatWaveAlert #Odisha pic.twitter.com/viXP7JZaBR
— OTV (@otvnews) March 27, 2019
The Met has further predicted that light rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Gajapati and Koraput while dry weather is likely to prevail over rest of the districts in Odisha.
On March 26, Malkanagiri recorded the maximum temperature of 40.5 degree Celsius, followed by Titlagarh with 39.5 deg C, Bhawanipatna 38.3 deg C, Angul 38.1 deg C, Cuttack 38.0 deg C, Bolangir 38.0 deg C, Bhubaneswar 37.8 deg C, Sonepur 37.8 deg C, Hirakud 37.6 deg C, while Chandbali, Jharsuguda and Talcher stood at 37.5 degree Celsius.
With mercury level mounting day by day, timings of all private and government-run schools have been changed to 6.30 AM till 10.30 AM.
The School and Mass Education (S&ME) department, in a letter to all educational boards, had directed the concerned authorities to take precautionary and preparatory measures in all educational institutions including all the government schools and privately run schools to reschedule the timing of classes.
As per the notification, the school authorities have also been asked to serve midday meals at 10.00 AM and close the schools by 11.00 AM while directing that no activities would be carried in the school after that.
Though the school authorities have made adequate provision of drinking water, they have directed all students to bring water bottles and umbrellas to save themselves from the scorching heat.
All government and private schools in Nabarangpur, Gunupur, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Nilagiri in Balasore and other districts began morning classes today. The new academic session 2019-20 would begin from April 3, whereas summer vacations will start from May 6.
As per the latest release of the SRC, moderate thunderstorm, lightning and light to moderate rainfall with hail and gusty wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is likely to occur at one or two places in these districts between 5PM and 8PM.
The alert has reportedly been issued for Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Ganjam and Nayagarh districts.
The Regional Meteorological Department in Bhubaneswar has forecast moderate thunderstorm and lightning in 11 districts of Odisha till 7:30 pm today. The warning was issued till 5.30 PM initially but was later extended till 7:30 PM.
Similar warnings were issued for Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur on Friday between 4:30PM and 7:30PM.
While mercury in Western and interior districts of the State has been hovering between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius for the past few days, increase in humidity level and scorching heat is making life worse for the people especially in the coastal parts.
"The heat wave is unbearable and the people are forced to stay indoors after 8 AM. We are depending on juices, lassi, watermelon stalls to get little relief from the heat and keep ourselves hydrated," said a resident from Titlagarh.
"Post cyclone Fani, there is no trees left under which we can sit and protect ourselves from the heat. Children are suffering the most due to the heat wave conditions," said a resident of Jharsuguda.
Meterologist of Bhubaneswar Regional Met Centre, Sashikant said, "The heat wave conditions will prevail for the next three days. Yellow warning has been issued for Bargarh, Sambalpur, Nuapada, Sonepur, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda".
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted that the southwest monsoon advanced to Andaman Sea on Sunday. The monsoon is likely to hit Kerala on June 6 and Odisha on June 14 or 15.
As per the latest forecast, moderate thunderstorm and lightning with light to moderate rainfall and gusty wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Nuapada, Bargarh, Ganjam, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Boudh, Angul, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Gajapati and Mayurbhanj districts between 4PM and 7PM today.
Prior to that, a moderate thunderstorm with lightning and rainfall warning was issued for Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Boudh, Keonjhar, Angul, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Mayurbhanj districts till 5:30 PM today.
The Met officials further advised the people in these districts to remain alert as gusty winds reaching a speed of 30 to 40 kmph will also prevail during the thunderstorm.
Dangerous thunderstorm and lightning alert has been issued for Athamallik and Angul blocks of Angul district, Gania block of Nayagarh district, Harbhanga block of Boudh district within 3.51 PM today and Palalahada block of Angul district, Telkoi, Harichandanpur and Banspal blocks of Keonjhar district within 4.14 PM today.
As per the latest bulletin of the IMD, moderate thunderstorm and lightning accompanied by light rainfall are likely to continue at one or two places over the districts of Ganjam, Bargarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Sonepur, Sambalpur till 2 PM today. Fresh warnings were issued for Malkangiri, Koraput, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nayagarh districts.
Earlier today, thunderstorm, lightning and rainfall warnings were also issued for the districts of Puri, Khurda including the capital Bhubaneswar, Ganjam, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Nuapada, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Sonepur and Boudh between 7.45 AM and 10.45 AM today.
Though the Met department had earlier predicted that heat wave conditions will prevail in the State for few more days, several parts of the State including the coastal belt have been witnessing cloudy weather giving relief to the people from scorching heat conditions since last two days.
Though the southwest monsoon arrived in Odisha, the experts have claimed that the onset was delayed yet again as it changed the course and advanced towards Northern Range. The position of the monsoon trough line and intensity of low pressure formed over Bay of Bengal are major factors responsible for rainfall in parts of the State. However, the erratic movement of trough has minimised rainfall here, stated weather expert Prabhat Beuria.
According to latest forecast by officials of the Regional Meteorological Department, the amount of rainfall is likely to increase after June 30 under the impact of a low pressure system over North Bay of Bengal.
Further under the impact of Nor'wester, there is a chance that Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nayagarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and a few districts in West Odisha will receive rainfall tomorrow.
The official further stated, "On June 28, interior areas of Odisha will witness long spells of rainfall. The assumed districts include- Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Nuapada."
"Heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely to occur at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm) at one or two places in the districts of Jajpur, Kendrapara, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh and Bargarh," the IMD said in a fresh bulletin.
It also said that the LPA is likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours.
Due to the well marked low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal adjoining areas of West Bengal and Odisha coasts, squally weather with gusty wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph likely to prevail over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, the IMD said.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha coast and North Bay of Bengal and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal during next 48 hours, it said.
Stating that moderate rain/ thundershower is very likely to occur at most places over the districts of Odisha, the IMD issued red warning (take action) in eight districts.
Earlier, the state government has already put all the districts including the eight identified districts under alert in view of the possible flooding due to heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The IMD also issued an Orange Warning (be prepared) for 15 other districts where heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely (less than 20 cm) to occur.
The identified 15 districts are: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundergarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
It also issued Yellow Warning (be updated) for seven other districts like Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Ganjam and Nayagarh where heavy rainfall very likely to occur at one or two places.
However, the IMD withdrew red warning for Tuesday and said light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur at most places over the districts of Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Nawarangpur, Bargarh, Nuapara, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.
“The cyclonic circulation over Jharkhand has intensified into low pressure and it now lay centered over western Bihar and Jharkhand. Under its impact, several northern districts of Odisha received good rainfall,” said Giri.
Though there is no heavy rainfall warning, several places in Odisha will continue to receive light to moderate rainfall in the next 48 hours. The rainfall activity might increase after 48 hours, added Giri.
The existing warning for fishermen has been extended for the coming 24 hours as the sea conditions will be rough.
Speaking on amount of rainfall, Giri said that Odisha received a deficit rainfall of 8 percent between June 1 and July 6.
“From June 1 till date, Odisha received 254 mm rainfall as against the average 275 mm rainfall which means there has been a deficit of 8 percent rainfall in the State,” informed Giri.
Meanwhile, Jharsuguda received highest rainfall of 36 mm followed by Sambalpur (28) and Hirakud (26 mm) on Saturday.
"Two cyclonic circulations over interior Odisha are likely to trigger heavy rainfall in several districts of the state," said Shashikant, Scientist at the regional centre of IMD in Bhubaneswar.
"...Because of these cyclonic circulations, Odisha may witness rainfall at several places in the next 24 hours. Besides, heavy rainfall is expected at some places like Boudh, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Malkangiri and Keonjhar due to local thunderstorm and lightning activity," he said.
He further said that thunderstorm and lightning activities are likely to continue at several districts of the State like Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Angul, Nayagarh, Khurda, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Keonjhar, Malkangiri and Koraput, while adding high temperature and humidity are the reasons behind the phenomena.
However, warning has not been issued for fishermen as the intensity of the wind over the sea will be just around 10 knots, he added.
In the past 24 hours, the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have recorded around 35 degrees Celsius. In the next 24 hours, the temperature in both the cities is likely to be around 34 degrees Celsius, said Shashikant.