Odisha Swelters as Monsoon Delays, Heatwave to Persist Till June 4

Bhubaneswar: Hot and humid conditions are likely to continue plaguing coastal Odisha for the next five days, according to the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre. Interior districts may fare even worse, with daytime temperatures expected to soar above 40 degrees Celsius.

“Heatwave conditions are likely to persist in Balangir, Nuapada, Bargarh, Kalahandi, and Sonepur districts until June 4th,” said Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre. “While there may be a slight dip in mercury levels, it won’t be significant. We may see a further 1-2 degree drop in the next two days.”

An orange warning has been issued for Balangir and Bargarh, while Kalahandi, Nuapada, and Sonepur are under a yellow warning from June 2 to June 4. Additionally, light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph is forecasted for some parts of the state on June 2-3, with a decrease in intensity expected thereafter.

Despite the onset of the southwest monsoon in Kerala ahead of schedule, the conditions in Odisha do not currently support its arrival. No specific forecast has been made regarding its onset in the state. The southwest monsoon is expected to advance into various parts of southern India and the central Arabian Sea over the next two days.