Even as the month of March with an average monthly mean temperature of 26.67ºC is the warmest since 1901 for the country as a whole, Odisha seems to stand in a different league.
Though the month of March in the State has recorded a maximum temperature of 1-3 degree C higher than the normal temperature of around 35 deg C based on data from 1981-2010, March 2022 was not hotter than March 2021 in Odisha.
March 2022 Vs March 2021
March 2022: As per the IMD data, unlike in 2021, in March 2022, the maximum temperature of over 40 deg C has been recorded in a few districts like Bolangir, adjoining Nuapada and Bargarh. And they are above the normal mean temperature by 3-4 deg C
On the other hand, districts ranging from Nuapada, and Rayagada in the South to Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Angul, Dhenkanal in the Central and Sundargarh, Deogarh, Sambalpur in the West have recorded an average maximum temperature of 37 deg C (around 38) in the month of March. The March maximum temperature in these districts is higher by 2-3 deg C than the normal temperature.
The coastal and north Odisha has recorded an average maximum temperature of around 33 deg C (in the range of 32-36 deg C).
The IMD temperature data for March 2022 in Odisha, however, shows that when the coastal districts like Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatshinhpur, Kendrapada have almost recorded normal temperature, the northern and north coastal districts have recorded a maximum temperature that is 1-2 deg C above the normal temperature arrived from the mean temperature for the period of 1981-2010.
The above IMD data shows that in March only a handful of districts has recorded 40 deg C temperature in the State. Now contrast with March 2021.
March 2021: Baripada had been the hottest place in the country as it sizzled with a record 44.16 deg C. The western districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur had recorded a maximum temperature of around 40 deg C.
Hotter Puri: Temple town Puri had recorded nearly 3 deg C higher temperature in March 2021. The average maximum temperature was recorded at around 37 deg C vis-a-vis the normal temperature of 33 deg C.
March In Bhubaneswar, Cuttack: Last March had been the second warmest for the twin cities, after 2016. The monthly average maximum temperature recorded in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar had been around 38 deg C, which is nearly 3 deg C above the normal average March maximum temperature of around 35 deg C.
Rainfall In March 2022
Though March in Odisha has been not as warmer as 2021 March, the State, however, has recorded a highly deficient rainfall in the month.
The IMD data shows that from Gajapati to Dhenkanal. Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Khordha, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Ganjam have recorded a high of over 37 percent less rainfall vis-a-vis the normal.
The rest of the districts, including Puri, have recorded deficient rainfall to the tune of 25 percent.