Rain, thunderstorms likely to lash Odisha, IMD issues orange alert

A spell of rain is likely to affect several parts of Odisha over the next three days starting Saturday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Bhubaneswar. Most districts in the state are expected to receive rainfall during this period.

The weather office has also indicated that one or two places in the northern coastal districts may experience rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

Warnings Issued for Several Districts

The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow warning for 12 districts for Saturday. For Sunday, weather warnings have been issued for 24 districts across the state.

Among them, four districts—Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore—have been placed under an orange warning for March 8. These districts are likely to experience heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, with wind speeds reaching 40 to 50 kmph.

Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said, “On March 7, 2026, several parts of north Odisha, including Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Cuttack and Khordha, are likely to experience rain and thunderstorms.”

Wind, Lightning and Humid Conditions Expected

In districts under the yellow warning, rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is likely, with wind speeds expected to reach 30 to 40 kmph.

Additionally, a yellow warning has been issued from March 9 to March 10 for six districts — Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara.

The Meteorological Department has also cautioned about the possibility of humid conditions prevailing across parts of the state during this period.