BHUBANESWAR: The heat wave continued to make life miserable across the State as mercury rose alarmingly in many parts on Friday. As many as 18 places recorded above 40 degree Celsius with most of these stations reporting above 42 degree Celsius.
Such was the ferocity of Sun that coastal towns of Puri and Gopalpur also recorded a massive seven degree Celsius jump in the day temperature in just one day.
Officials in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) described the rise in mercury as ‘unexpected’ and said dry and hot wind from north-west and central regions of India fuelled the condition.
According to the weather bulletin issued by the IMD, Puri recorded 43.6 degree Celsius while mercury at Gopalpur read 43.2 degree C. On Thursday, Puri had reported a maximum day temperature of 37 degree while it was 35.9 degree C at Gopalpur. In both these places, there was prevalence of hot dry wind at a speed of 35 km per hour.
The weather office said the moving away and weakening of Nanauk along with formation of a cyclonic circulation over east central Bay of Bengal led to the ‘unexpected’ rise in temperature. While Nanauk sucked in moisture from western coast, the cyclonic circulation over Bay of Bengal pulled in dry and hot wind from Madhya Pradesh and western regions which led to an escalation in the blistering conditions, IMD, Odisha Director Sarat Chandra Sahu said.
In fact, the weather office had predicted a drop in mercury but Nanauk’s movement played spoilsport, Sahu said.
“Sometimes, the transit period between summer and arrival of monsoon witnesses such unusual heat wave conditions and this is one such year,” the IMD Director said.
Barring certain hilly pockets, the grip of the heat wave was complete over the State. Western Odisha districts sizzled as maximum day temperature read 45 degree Celsius at Titlagarh and Sonepur. Similarly, Hirakud and Talcher reported over 44 degree C on the day.
The capital city of Bhubaneswar continued to sweat under the conditions as the mercury showed a rising trend. On Friday, it read 42.6 degree, while neighbouring Cuttack reported 41.5 degree C.
The weather office said day temperature may drop from Saturday while the formation of the cyclonic circulation could bring in showers from June 17.
With south west monsoon not in sight yet, the water level in major reservoirs of the State continued to drop, a trend that could hurt the hydel power generation if it remains unchanged. The reservoir position in Eastern Indian States, including Odisha, saw a drop in the water level from 34 per cent to 30 per cent in a week.