A fresh weather threat is looming over the eastern coast as a low-pressure area formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal is rapidly gathering strength.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system is tracking northwest and will concentrate into a well-marked low-pressure area by Saturday. It is projected to further intensify into a depression by November 15 and transform into a full-fledged cyclone over the Bay of Bengal by the evening of November 16.
Dr. Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, confirmed that the weather system’s trajectory and intensity are being closely monitored. While the state will experience dry weather in the initial days, the strengthening cyclonic system is set to bring substantial rainfall to coastal Odisha starting early next week.
In anticipation of the severe weather, a Yellow Warning has been issued for 13 districts on November 18 and 19: Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Kataka, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, and Nayagada.
Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur are bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by lightning and surface winds reaching 30 to 40 kmph. The wet spell will continue through November 19 and 20, with heavy rainfall alerts issued for Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri. The IMD has strictly advised fishermen not to venture into the sea during this volatile period, as the system’s path and intensity remain subject to change.
The impending cyclone will also temporarily disrupt the onset of winter in the state. Cloudy skies and sporadic rain will cause night temperatures to remain warmer than normal, with no significant drop expected until November 20.
According to Meteorological Scientist Dr Sanjeev Dwivedi, the state’s lowest temperature over the past 24 hours was recorded in the hilly terrain of G. Udayagiri at 12.5°C, while Nabarangpur recorded the lowest among the plains at 14°C. Nayagada reported the highest temperature at 33°C, and Raurkela woke up to very dense fog. Mercury levels are expected to drop significantly only towards the end of the month once the cyclonic system dissipates.
