BHUBANESWAR: With daytime temperature soaring, Odisha has started experiencing unseasonal thunderstorm activity since the last two days. Similar weather condition is expected to prevail in parts of the state over the next three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.
The national weather forecaster issued a warning for Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore and Bhadrak districts stating paddy crops may get damaged due to the likely thunderstorm activity on Saturday.
Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40 kmph to 50 kmph is likely to occur at one or two places in the four districts in the next 24 ours. The met office advised farmers to use hail nets to protect their crops and vegetables.
Similarly, thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30 kmph to 40 kmph is expected at isolated places in Cuttack, Puri, Khurda and 11 other districts during the period. Coastal and northern districts are also likely to receive light to moderate rainfall over the next three days, the IMD said. Usually, thunderstorm activity occurs during pre-monsoon season between March and June, during the weak phase of the southwest monsoon and transition to active phase of the monsoon. A north to south trough usually develops during the pre-monsoon season.
“However, a trough now runs from Rayalseema to south Chhattisgarh. This apart, an anti-cyclonic circulation lies over north Bay of Bengal in lower tropospheric levels and is providing moisture to the state. Both the systems are triggering thunderstorm activity,” IMD sources said.
Hail and thunderstorm activities get stronger as rising warm air carrying moisture cools down at lower altitude.
This is usually witnessed in March. Similar weather pattern is currently prevailing in the state, the sources explained. In the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Friday, Athagarh received the maximum rainfall of 50 mm, followed by Ghasipura and Bhandaripokhari 40 mm each. Due to the rains, night temperature has also plummeted in some parts of the state.