BHUBANESWAR: Blistering conditions swept large parts of the State as mercury shot up abnormally across the districts with Bhubaneswar sizzling at 43.2 degree Celsius, season’s highest day temperature, on Wednesday.
With hot wind from the Central plains of India blowing into the State, the coastal districts bore the brunt. As many as 16 stations recorded 40 degree-plus temperature on the day.
The ferocity of the sun was felt in the coastal districts where the day temperature was significantly above normal. The weather office said mercury was about six degree Celsius above normal in most of the coastal districts. In Bhubaneswar, it was about seven degree above normal. Across western pockets, it was about two degree above normal.
The weather office said the sudden spurt in the mercury could be attributed to a rise in temperature in Central Indian States for the last two to three days.
“The wind blowing from North-West India gathers surface temperature from the Central plains on its way to the Bay of Bengal. As it arrives in the coastal districts, the wind heats up considerably,” Director of India Meteorological Department, Odisha, Sarat Chandra Sahu said. The wind speed at various levels of the atmosphere has also aided the heating process.
In fact, the weather office expected the mercury to remain under control as thundershowers were due in parts of the northern and interior districts on Monday and Tuesday which, however, did not happen. It has only added to the intolerable conditions. However, the Met office is yet to formally declare a heat wave since the prevailing conditions have not met basic criteria that is required for such an official announcement. At least two weather stations must record temperature five degree above normal for two consecutive days for a formal declaration of heat wave conditions.
Sahu said there are possibilities of rains and thundershowers which may bring down the day temperature by two to three degree Celsius in the next two days. However, the mercury is slated to rise from April 9 onwards. By the end of the second week, the day temperature is expected to rise further, he added.