A sudden winter chill has swept across Odisha, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a further drop of 2°C to 4°C in night temperatures over the next 72 hours.
Cold, dry northerly winds blowing over interior regions signal the start of an intensifying winter spell that is expected to affect both inland and coastal districts.
Interior Districts Record Season Lows
The mercury has already begun its downward trajectory across several western and southern districts. Over the past 48 hours, Phulbani in Kandhamal district registered the state’s lowest minimum temperature at 14°C, closely matched by Jharsuguda at 14.5°C. Other hill stations and interior towns also felt the intense chill, with Daringbadi and Bhawanipatna both settling at 15°C, while Rourkela, Hirakud, and Sambalpur recorded between 15.7°C and 16.2°C.
In northern and southern belts, Kendujhar recorded 16.6°C, Nabarangpur 16°C, and Rayagada 17°C. Even the coastal belt has begun feeling the shift, with the state capital Bhubaneswar recording a minimum temperature of 18.5°C.
Expert Forecast & Rainy Interlude
According to weather expert Prof. Surendranath Pasupalak, night temperatures will continue to decline steadily over the coming days.
“In the next 48 to 72 hours, night temperatures may drop by another 2 to 4 degrees,” noted Prof. Pasupalak. “Interior Odisha could record minimums between 12°C and 16°C, while coastal areas will hover between 17°C and 20°C. High-altitude and interior locations such as Phulbani, Similiguda in Koraput, Jharsuguda, and Keonjhar will face the sharpest drop.”
Alongside the falling temperatures, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre has projected light to moderate rain at isolated places in northern Odisha—specifically in Mayurbhanj and Kendujhar districts—through November 12. Weather conditions across the state are expected to clear up and turn completely dry again from November 13 onward, clearing the path for colder nights.
