As per the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, the minimum temperature (night temperature) dropped below 10° Celsius in at least ten places in the state during the last 24 hours.

While Kirei in Sundargarh district turned out to be the coldest place in the state recording 7.5 degree Celsius, G Udayagiri in Kandhamal followed closely with 8 degree Celsius. Rourkela recorded 8.7 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature stood at 8.9 degree Celsius in Koraput, 9 degree at Sundargarh, 9.3 degree in Jharsuguda, 9.5 degree at Ranital in Bhadrak district and Semiliguda in Koraput, and 9.6 in Keonjhar.

Dense fog occurred in several places across the state reducing visibility significantly. Otherwise, dry weather prevailed in the state. Shallow to moderate fog has occurred at one or two places with dense fog at some places in Kandhamal and Ganjam districts.

In a bulletin, the MeT Centre said that dense fog is likely to occur at one or two places over at least nine districts of Odisha during the next 24 hours. Similarly, several places are expected to experience rain on January 17 and 18, it said.

Weather forecast and warning for districts of Odisha:

Day 1 (Valid up to 8.30 am of 15.01.2024)

Dry weather is very likely to prevail. Shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur at a few places over the districts of coastal Odisha and one or two places over the districts of interior Odisha.

Yellow Warning (Be updated): Dense fog is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Koraput.

Day 2 (From 8.30 am of 15.01.2024 to 8.30 am of 16.01.2024)

Dry weather is very likely to prevail over the districts of Odisha. Shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Odisha.

Day 3 (From 8.30 am of 16.01.2024 to 8.30 am of 17.01.2024)

Dry weather is very likely to prevail over the districts of Odisha. Shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Odisha.

Day 4 (From 8.30 am of 17.01.2024 to 8.30 am of 18.01.2024)

Light rain is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj, and dry weather is very likely to prevail over the rest districts of Odisha.

Day 5 (From 8.30 am of 18.01.2024 to 8.30 am of 19.01.2024)

Light rain is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, and Bhadrak and dry weather very likely to prevail over the remaining districts of Odisha.

“Under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over Myanmar & adjoining Eastcentral Bay of Bengal, a low pressure area has formed over Northeast and adjoining Eastcentral Bay of Bengal. It is likely to become well-marked low pressure area and move northwestwards towards north Odisha & adjoining West Bengal coasts during next 48 hours,” the weather agency said in its morning bulletin.

The cyclonic circulation over north Coastal Karnataka and neighbourhood has also intensified into a low pressure area over Eastcentral Arabian Sea off south Konkan-Goa coasts. It is likely to become Well Marked Low Pressure Area over the same area and gradually move west-northwestwards during next 24 hours, it added.

With the low pressure over Bay of Bengal expected to become well marked and move northwestwards towards north Odisha & adjoining West Bengal coasts, Odisha is likely to experience heavy downpour during the next few days.

The IMD has forecast light/moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm and lightning with isolated heavy rainfall over Odisha during September 29 to October 1. Isolated very heavy rainfall may also occur over Odisha on October 1 and 2.

This system is expected to move across Odisha and Chhattisgarh during next 2 days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed.

The weather agency further said that the southwest monsoon has also been vigorous over the state, leading to widespread light to moderate rain/thundershower with heavy to very heavy at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rain in Balangir and Rayagada in the past 24 hours. “With intense spells of rain continuing during the next 24 hours, flood-like situation may occur in interior pockets with the likely increase in the water level of rivers in the state,” IMD, Bhubaneswar, scientist Umashankar Das told a media briefing.

He added that the intensity of rain might gradually decrease from September 15.

SEPTEMBER 14

Red Warning

Scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) with isolated extremely heavy rain (>20cm) likely in Balangir, Kalahandi, Sonepur, Bargarh, Nuapada and Sambalpur

Orange Warning

Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) may occur at a few places in Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Boudh, Cuttack, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Angul, and Dhenkanal.

Yellow Warning

Heavy Rainfall (7 to 11cm) is also likely at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Nayagarh, Jajpur, and Rayagada.

The IMD has warned of flash flood and waterlogging in low-lying area, inundation of agriculture field and mudslides/landslides in vulnerable hilly areas. There is also a possibility of some damage to kutcha roads and houses, waterlogging in underpass road and occasional reduction of visibility causing traffic congestion in urban areas. Farmers have been advised to postpone fertiliser/chemicals application in agricultural field and keep livestock at safe places. Mining activity may be judicially regulated in Angul and Dhenkanal districts, it added.

SEPTEMBER 15

Yellow Warning

Heavy Rainfall (7 to 11cm) may occur at isolated places in Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh.

There is no heavy rain warning during the subsequent two days.

SEPTEMBER 18

Yellow Warning

Heavy Rainfall (7 to 11cm) is likely at one or two places in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Ganjam.

Thunderstorm with lightning may also occur at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Khurda and Puri districts.

Notably, Odisha recorded 49.3 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, and an average of 189.9 mm from September 1 to 14 against the month’s average of 231.9 mm. Balangir block received the highest rainfall of 215 mm in the state. Bhubaneswar recorded 55 mm rainfall till 8.30 am this morning.

This wet spell has helped bridge the rain shortfall in Odisha, which recorded 975.2 mm rainfall against the normal value of 1044.9 mm till September 14 this monsoon season. While one district received excess rain and 25 are in the normal category, only 4 districts are deficient. “Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Rayagada, which had recorded a shortfall, have been receiving heavy rain,” Das said, adding that intensity of rain might increase again from September 19.

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.