Mohanty, who replaced H R Biswas, earlier served as Scientist-E & Head of Meteorological Centre in Ahmedabad.

“Working with India Meteorological Department remains a challenge, whichsoever state one is posted at. Every place has a unique weather system, be it monsoon or cyclone. And the work includes accurate forecast of any weather system and issuing early warning to allow governments to take action. Our main objective is to deliver accurate weather related information. I am happy to serve in my home state, which has faced several calamities in the past,” she said.

Mohanty joined the India Meteorological Department after completing her master’s degree in Physics from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. She is credited for accurate forecast of powerful cyclones like ‘Tauktae’ and ‘Biparjoy’ that had formed over the Arabian Sea.

She studied at Alanahat High School in Jagatsinghpur district.

Notably, the Ministry of Earth Sciences has approved the promotion of the 13 weather scientists including Manorama Mohanty with ‘E’ Pay Matrix Level-13 to the post of Scientist ‘F’ Pay Matrix Level-13 A with effect from January 1, 2024.

Ten places in the state recorded temperature below 10 degree Celsius in the last 24 hours.

G Udayagiri in Kandhamal, where the mercury hovered around 4 degree Celsius for last 2 days, recorded 5.8 degree Celsius, followed by Phulbani (Kandhamal) at 7 degree Celsius, Kirei (Sundargarh) at 7.7 degree, Semiliguda (Koraput) and Daringbadi (Kandhamal) at 8 degree Celsius each, Keonjhar at 8.8 degree Celsius, Sundargarh at 8.9 degree Celsius, Angul and Nabarangpur at 9 degree Celsius each and Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi) at 9.5 degree Celsius.

The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 14.8 and 14.4 degree Celsius, respectively.

Dense fog was witnessed in Koraput, reducing visibility to 50 metres. Bhawanipatna, Keonjhar and Rourkela also experienced shallow to moderate fog.

The weather agency has issued yellow alert of dense fog at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts till 8.30 am on December 24. Shallow to moderate fog is also at a few places across the state during morning hours.

Dense fog may occur at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Balangir, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul and Dhenkanal districts during the subsequent 24 hours.

The weather agency has also issued yellow warning of dense fog for 3 days.

Till 8.30 am on Dec 23Dense fog may occur at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts

Shallow to moderate fog is also likely at a few places in coastal Odisha, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Koraput during morning hours.

From 8.30 am on Dec 23 till 8.30 am on Dec 24

Dense fog may occur at one or two places in Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Koraput districts.

Shallow to moderate fog is also at a few places across the state during morning hours.

From 8.30 am on Dec 24 till 8.30 am on Dec 25

Dense fog may occur at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Balangir, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul and Dhenkanal districts.

Shallow to moderate fog is also at a few places across the state during morning hours.

Notably, the night temperature has been hovering around 4 degree Celsius at G Udayagiri in Kandhamal for the last two days with the mercury plummeting below 10 degree Celsius at 16 places. The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 13.4 and 13.2 degrees Celsius, respectively. The temperature dropped to 5 degrees below normal in Koraput, 4.6 degrees below normal in Angul, 2.7 degrees below normal in Jharsuguda, 2.3 degrees below normal in Bhawanipatna, and 1.2 degrees below normal in Bhubaneswar in the last 24 hours.

Dense fog had engulfed Koraput, Phulbani and Rourkela, restricting visibility to 50 metres, this morning. Bhawanipatna and Keonjhar also witnessed shallow to moderate fog.

The weather agency, however, has issued no weather warning for Odisha. While light to moderate rain/thundershower may occur at a few places in Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, and one or two places in Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Nuapada districts during the day, dry weather is likely to prevail across the state thereafter till the end of this month (November 30). There will also be no large change in the night temperature during the next five days, it added.

The Met office has, however, forecast squally weather with wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph over south Andaman Sea on November 26, increasing to 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph over south Andaman Sea and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal during November 27-28 and 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over south Andaman Sea and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal during November 29-30. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into South Andaman Sea on November 26-27 and Southeast Bay of Bengal on November 27.

In its Tropical Weather Outlook, the agency said the GFS group of models are indicating further intensification of this system into a cyclonic storm. “These models are indicating initial west-northwestwards movement till December 1, followed by northwards movement thereafter. However, gradual weakening is indicated on December 3 over west-central Bay of Bengal,” it added.