Odisha Braces for Widespread Rainfall, Strong Winds & Possible Hail Over Next 48 Hours

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for severe weather conditions expected to hit Odisha on March 19 and March 20.

According to IMD forecasts, a trough extending from Jharkhand to north Coastal Andhra Pradesh across Odisha will bring thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds reaching 45-55 kmph, and hail to several districts of Odisha.

Farmers are cautioned to regulate the harvesting of Rabi crops judiciously and utilize hail nets to protect vegetables and crops from potential damage.

In its mid-day bulletin, the IMD noted significant temperature fluctuations across various districts of Odisha. Maximum temperatures have experienced a marked fall in some areas, while appreciable rises have been observed in others.

Weather forecasts for Odisha districts over the next two days are as follows:

Monday (Valid up to 0830 hrs IST of 19.03.2024):
– Light to moderate rain or thunderstorms are expected in many places, particularly in north interior Odisha, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jajpur, and Cuttack districts.
– A Yellow Warning is issued for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph in specific districts including Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and Dhenkanal.

Tuesday (Valid from 0830 hrs IST of 19.03.2024 to 0830 hrs IST of 20.03.2024):
– Light to moderate rain or thunderstorms are expected across most districts of Odisha.
– An Orange Warning is issued for thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds reaching 45-55 kmph, and hail in districts such as Bolangir, Subarnapur, Kalahandi, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Jajpur.
– Moreover, thunderstorms with lightning and heavy rainfall (7cm to 11cm) are likely in districts like Cuttack, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Khordha, and Dhenkanal.

A Yellow Warning is also issued for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph in various districts including Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Gajapati, Sundargarh, and Deogarh, while the rest of the districts are advised to remain updated on the weather situation.