Odisha is set to experience cold weather conditions for another two weeks, with no immediate relief in sight for the chilly nights.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, night temperatures will remain unchanged until February 5, hovering between 10-14 degrees Celsius in interior regions and 14-18 degrees in coastal and adjacent districts. However, a further dip is anticipated from February 6 to 12 in western Odisha’s interior areas, where temperatures could plummet to 6-10 degrees.
Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, stated that the cold spell will persist, urging residents to prepare for the fluctuating conditions. Over the past 24 hours, a slight rise in night temperatures has been observed across the state. Except for the hilly region of G. Udayagiri in Kandhamal district, where the mercury dipped to 9.0 degrees, all other areas recorded temperatures above 10 degrees. Jharsuguda saw the highest daytime temperature at 31.9 degrees.
Fog has been a notable feature in recent weather patterns. Dense fog was reported in Chhatrapur and Paradip, while light fog affected Kendrapara, Bhubaneswar, Gopalpur, and Bhawanipatna. In the next 24 hours, night temperatures are expected to rise by 2-3 degrees statewide. The week ahead will remain dry, but coastal districts are forecast to experience fog for the next five days.
A yellow warning for dense fog has been issued for two days in the coastal districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, and Cuttack. Additionally, light fog is predicted for the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar throughout the week.
The weather is gradually shifting, with daytime temperatures exceeding 30 degrees in eight locations. Over the past week, temperatures have risen by 3-4 degrees in many areas. Paralakhemundi recorded a high of 32.4 degrees on January 27. In Bhubaneswar, the minimum temperature climbed from 13.7 degrees on January 23 to 17.1 degrees on January 30. While most urban centres have minimums above 10 degrees, a few isolated spots remain cooler.
Meteorologists predict that the cold will begin to ease slightly in the coming days, but heat is expected to build up from the last week of February onward.
