Severe cold to grip Odisha after December 5; short-term warming due to Bay cyclones: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Odisha will experience a renewed and more pronounced drop in minimum temperatures after December 5, reversing a brief stretch of warmer nights recorded across much of the state.

The weather department stated that the recent short-term rise of about two to three degrees in many districts was caused by moisture intrusion from two active systems over the Bay of Bengal, and that those gains will be lost as winter regains strength itself in the first week of December.

Short-Lived Warmth Traced To Twin Bay Systems

IMD attributed the recent increase in night temperatures to the presence of two active weather systems in the southwest Bay of Bengal and near the Sri Lanka coast.

According to the forecast, these systems injected significant amounts of water vapour into the lower atmosphere, suppressing the usual radiational cooling that deepens night-time cold during late November. That mechanism, the IMD said, explains why many districts saw minimum readings rise by two to three degrees over the past few days even as winter conditions persisted in interior pockets.

One of the systems, which intensified as Cyclone Ditwah, formed off the Sri Lanka coast and is being tracked for a likely landfall near the Chennai coast this weekend.

The weather department has maintained that Odisha will not face a direct, damaging impact from Ditwah. Nonetheless, officials said peripheral circulation from the systems is expected to reduce nighttime cooling temporarily in coastal and adjoining districts.

ALSO READ: Another cyclone in just 24 hours: Ditwah nears coast, Odisha farmers fear crop loss

Cooler Conditions To Return Strongly After December 5

Meanwhile, the MeT added that a sharper and wider drop is likely after December 5. The end of the first week of December will mark a transition to a more entrenched winter phase, with the re-establishment of cold winds and lower humidity aiding in nighttime cooling.

Meanwhile, the temporary warming affected most districts even as interior stations continued to record sharp drops. Recent observations show Phulbani registering 8.5°C, Jharsuguda 9.2°C, Angul 9.6°C, and Bhawanipatna 9.8°C, indicating that pockets are still experiencing cold conditions even during the brief warm spell.