Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), April 18: As Odisha grapples with relentless heat, residents faced another day of discomfort on Thursday, with humidity levels reaching 73% in Bhubaneswar and 67% in Cuttack by 8:30 am.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has extended its forecast, indicating that the heatwave is likely to persist until Saturday, with a slight alleviation expected from Sunday onwards due to the influence of Kalbaisakhi. Heatwave alerts have been issued for 19 districts, including Khurda and Cuttack.
Weather projections suggest worsening conditions, with temperatures expected to rise by 2°C to 3°C in various areas over the next two days. Bhubaneswar may see temperatures soaring to around 42°C today.
Severe heatwave conditions are anticipated in isolated pockets of districts like Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Anugul, and Nayagarh, while heatwave conditions are expected to prevail in one or two places in several other districts.
Hot and humid weather is anticipated across numerous districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.
Typically, Odisha experiences around 11 days of heatwave between April and June, but this year’s spell may last between 17 and 25 days, according to IMD projections. The weather office has cautioned that temperatures could soar to 45°C in certain areas during this period. The intensity of the heatwave has prompted the state government to declare a three-day closure of all schools from April 18 to 20.
However, relief is on the horizon as thundershowers and strong westerly winds are expected to bring respite starting from Sunday.
