Sanjeev Kumar Patro

Bhubaneswar: No autumn greetings for revellers this Puja, apparently. The ambience in Odisha will be quite stuffy and humid.

A glance at the weather maps of IMD and US-based Climate Prediction Centre infers such a gloomy outlook this Puja.

The weather prediction maps valid till 9th October reveal that the relative humidity of the State will hover high in the range of 85 -95 per cent till October 8 in the south interior districts, south and north coastal districts, except over some districts in north interior Odisha.

On the day of Dussehra, the relative humidity in north interior districts like Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal etc will see a big drop to around 60 per cent.

It needs mentioning that the average relative humidity in Odisha during October hovers at around 76 per cent. This shows how humid is the month of October this year, at least till the Dussehra.

The wind vector maps hint at weak air flow in Odisha till October 9. The wind speed is predicted to remain below 20 Km/hour.

Given the weak airflow, and high relative humidity, the days will give one a quite stuffy and humid treat till October 9.

The wind maps show of an evolving anticyclonic circulation over Rajasthan from October 7th onwards. Also, the airflow over Bay of Bengal will remain weak till October 9th, the maps reveal. This affects the wind flow from Bay of Bengal to Odisha. And non-airy days to prevail in the State this Puja. Weather maps also suggest the day temperatures to remain above normal.

However, the big sigh of relief for the State is there will be no development of any low pressure area in Bay of Bengal till October 16. IMD says there is no chance of cyclonegenesis till October 16.

But given the prevalence of unstable weather conditions till October 9,  Odisha will witness thunderstorm on October 8 (the Dussehra Day) and October 9 (the immersion Day). Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning is also predicted for Odisha on October 4 and 5.

As per the IMD data on rainfall over Odisha this Monsoon, the State had recorded 1,232 mm rainfall during the period of June 1 and September 30, which is 7 per cent in excess of normal rainfall of 1,155.3 mm.

Significantly,  the data released by the Special Relief Commissioner has indicated Odisha receiving 9.9 per cent excess rainfall over the normal rainfall.

The IMD rainfall data further disclosed that Odisha had recorded 67.6 mm rainfall vis-a-vis the normal rainfall of 36.3 mm during the week of September 26 and October 2, which is incidentally 67 per cent in excess.

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