BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha this year recorded third highest rainfall during the pre-monsoon period in the last one decade, there was no respite from the heat as the State was baked for the third consecutive day on Tuesday.
As many as 13 places in interior pockets of the State recorded temperature above 40 degree Celsius on the day with Sambalpur registering highest 45 degree Celsius.
More sweltering days are ahead with Met office forecasting that the heat wave conditions will prevail for next two days and several areas will witness rise in temperature up to two to three-degree Celsius.
Hirakud, which recorded highest temperature of 44.8 degree on Monday, continued to sizzle at 44.4 degree Celsius.
Similarly, Jharsuguda recorded 44.2, followed by Sonepur 44, Titlagarh 43.4, Talcher 42.5, Balangir 41.8, Angul 41.7, Sundargarh 41 and Bhawanipatna 40.6.
Bhubaneswar witnessed a substantial rise in day temperature as the city recorded 40.3 degree Celsius against 37.8 on previous day.
Some parts of coastal Odisha also witnessed a rise in temperature with Chandbali recording 40 degree Celsius.
Weather experts attributed the prolonged heat wave conditions to clear sky, solar insulation and heating besides the prevailing westerly wind and the cyclonic formation over the Arabian sea.
Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre HR Biswas said the clear sky leading to long period of solar isolation and heating are major reasons behind heat wave.
“The westerly wind also helped in rise of temperature. Intense solar radiation heats up the landmasses and lower layers of the atmosphere causing the temperature in air parcels to rise,” he observed.
The Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) run by SOA University predicted that the monsoon is expected to set over the State on June 16.
“The heat wave conditions would support thundershowers and drag the monsoon current towards the land mass. Pre-monsoon showers are expected from June 14 while monsoon will cover the entire State by June 19 or 20,” a release stated.