BHUBANESWAR: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that some parts of Odisha may receive light to moderate rainfall or witness thunderstorms between January 21 and 24 under the influence of a western disturbance.
Light to moderate rainfall or thundershower activity is likely to occur at one or two places in coastal districts besides, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj on Friday, and similar weather condition is expected at isolated places in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Deogarh districts on Saturday.
Stating that rainfall will be more on Sunday, the IMD has forecast thunderstorms with lightning at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts during the period.
"Unseasonal rains continue to be a cause of concern for farmers in the State. Between January 1 and 19, the State received 39.6 mm rainfall which is 414 pc more than the normal rainfall of 7.7 mm," said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre scientist, Umasankar Das.
The recent rainfall activity has also led to a rise in night temperature in Odisha.Despite the ongoing La Nina phase, the State has witnessed only a five-day cold wave period since December last year, which should normally be 15 days by the end of January.