Odisha shivers under cold wave, 8 cities record temperature below 10 degree Celsius

Several regions in Odisha experienced a sharp decline in the temperature with the cold wave sweeping across the state. With temperatures plummeting below 10 degrees Celsius in eight cities, residents faced an unusually harsh winter chill on the first day of the year.

As per the regional weather office, Rourkela emerged as the coldest city as the mercury fell below 7 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Jharsuguda recorded a minimum temperature of 8 degrees Celsius followed by Keonjhar, Phulbani and Daringbadi (9.5), and Sundargarh (9.7).

Meanwhile, Angul and Sonepur shivered at 10 degrees Celsius. Temperatures also took a sharp dip in Bhubaneswar, where it was recorded at 13.2 degrees last night, while Cuttack witnessed a minimum temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, as per data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Incidentally, the temperatures marked a continued downward trend with the twin cities observing a steep drop of more than 2 degrees Celsius in just one night. Further, the dip is expected to continue today and the same cold conditions are predicted to last for at least the next four days as per the weather department.

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The season’s first cold wave swept across the state around December 15 last year and persisted for several days. Under its impact, snowfall-like conditions and thick frost accumulation were observed in places like Tensa, Kalta, Malda, and Kasira near Koida of Sundargarh district while G. Udayagiri had slipped to 4.8 degrees Celsius.

A brief increase in temperature was then witnessed from December 19 onwards owing to a low pressure-turned-depression over the Bay of Bengal. Soon after, another such rain system followed bringing in overcast skies, incessant rainfall, and a slight rise in mercury during Christmas.

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It is pertinent to note that the unseasonal rainfall last month wreaked havoc across farmlands in Odisha leading to unfortunate and alarming cases of farmers dying out of reported shock amid crop loss.