Moderate rain/thundershower with lightning and one or two intense spells of rain may occur in Khurda, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Nuapada districts in 3 hours.

The weather agency has warned of waterlogging in low-lying areas and occasional poor visibility and traffic disruption in urban areas. People have also been advised to keep a watch on the weather and accordingly move to safe places to protect themselves from lightning strikes.

“A cyclonic circulation is active over the north-east and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal region. Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation, a low pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal around August 18,” the Bhubaneswar centre tweeted.

The weather agency, however, is yet to issue any forecast on rainfall activities under the influence of the low pressure.

The IMD had earlier issued yellow warning of heavy rain for one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Angul, Sambalpur on Wednesday (August 16). It had forecast an increase in the intensity of rain thereafter with heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in Kalahandi and Kandhamal on August 17 and some places in Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Dhenkanal and Boudh on August 18. It had also predicted heavy rainfall at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir and Kandhamal on August 19.