BHUBANESWAR: After scorching the State for the entire month, the end of April could bring some relief to Odisha. The weather office on Wednesday said mercury could see a reasonable drop till May 5-6 across the districts.
The weather outlook suggests that day temperature will drop across western and interior Odisha. Under its impact, coastal districts will also see a fall in the mercury. The drop in temperature may be moderate, if not substantial, but it would be accompanied by cloudy conditions and showers which will bring in the much-needed relief, the weatherman said.
Wednesday’s temperature pattern showed the glimpse of it as mercury fell across the western plate of the State. Titlagarh, which was sizzling at 48-plus degree Celsius two days back, recorded 42 degree C on the day, registering a three degree drop over Tuesday.
Balangir, which recorded 46 degree on Tuesday, was cooler at 42.7 degree C whereas Bhawanipatna registered 42 degree C on the day as against 45.2 degree C on Tuesday. Even Sonepur, which was the hottest place on the day with mercury reading 46.3 degree C, saw a marginal drop in temperature.
Surprisingly though, the day temperature showed a rise in coastal and northern districts. As many as 14 stations showed a jump in mercury on the day. Bhubaneswar, which had recorded 38.9 degree C on Tuesday, was at least three degree hotter with mercury reading 42.8 degree C. In all coastal towns, the day temperature jumped in the range of two to three degrees.
However, the India Meteorological Department maintained that the conditions will change over the next 48 hours. Over western and interior districts, the day temperature will fall by three to four degrees. “It is expected to remain in the 40-42 degree C range in many places,” Odisha Director SC Sahu said. This would also help day temperature fall over the coastal plains.
Sahu said there is also possibility of cloudy conditions and thundershowers over the coastal districts during this period. When overcast conditions prevail over a large area, temperature will tend to drop, he added.
The temperature level will also be affected by the weather conditions prevailing over Central India where cloud cover and light rain will occur. Meanwhile, the unofficial sunstroke death toll has risen to 112 though eight cases have been confirmed by the Government as of now. According to Health and Family Welfare department, 43 persons were treated for heat-related complaints in different hospitals on Tuesday.