Bhubaneswar: The night temperature is expected gradually by 2-3°C during the next 2 days across Odisha amid rainfall activity till December 21, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Wednesday.
Bhubaneswar recorded 20.2°C at 5.30 this morning compared to 16.2°C during the same time the previous day, which is an increase of almost 4°C. The minimum temperature in the city was 18.6°C in the last 24 hours. It had recorded 13.6°C the previous day and the season’s lowest of 10.9°C on Sunday as an unrelenting cold wave swept across the state for four days.
The rain after the brief spell of cold wave is being attributed to a change in the wind pattern and easterly as well as south-easterly wind carrying moisture blowing towards the state.
The weather agency has forecast light rain at one or two places in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Puri districts on December 18 with shallow to moderate fog at one or two places in Kandhamal , Kalahandi, and Sundargarh.
There may be slight increase in the intensity of rain for the next 3 days. Light to moderate is likely at one or two places in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal , Puri, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts on December 19, and at few places in coastal Odisha & at one or two places in interior districts of the state on December 20.
There is a forecast for light rain at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur on December 20. Dry weather may prevail across the state thereafter.
Meanwhile, the well-marked low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal is expected to move nearly northwestwards towards north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast during the next 24 hours and nearly northwards along Andhra Pradesh coast in the subsequent 24 hours.
According to Director of SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) Sarat Sahu said that the northern cloud band of the system may move towards north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast. He added that chilly weather is likely to make a comeback from Sunday onwards.