Tourists taking shelter in a cave at Khandagiri hill in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. (Photo | EPS)
Tourists taking shelter in a cave at Khandagiri hill in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. (Photo | EPS)

Odisha sees coldest February in last five years due to untimely rains

The met office has also forecast cold wave condition at some parts of the State on Sunday.

BHUBANESWAR:  Untimely rain and windy conditions have plunged day temperature to a record low across Odisha making it one of the coldest February in last five years.

The met office has also forecast cold wave condition at some parts of the State on Sunday.

A Western Disturbance associated with a sub-tropical westerly jet core which triggered rainy and windy conditions led to a drop in mercury by more than five degree Celsius on Saturday, forcing people to seek cover. 

In fact, a ferry boat in Chilika was stranded due to the gusty wind. The passengers were later rescued. At tourist spots like Khandagiri and Udayagiri in the State Capital, visitors were seen taking refuge in the caves to escape rain accompanied by wind. The damp, as well as chilly conditions, have also led to a rise in common flu cases.

On the day, many places of the State recorded the lowest day temperature since 2015. The maximum temperature dipped to 17.2 degree Celsius in Balasore which was 7.8 degree below normal for February.

At Chandbali where mercury read 19.6 degree, it was 7.1 degree below normal. Cuttack’s daytime temperature stood at 19.6 degree Celsius, 5.8 degree below normal whereas Bhubaneswar recorded 20.6 degree during the day, which was about 5.1 degree below normal. Both Cuttack and Bhubaneswar had recorded 22.4 degree and 23.3 degree respectively on Friday. 

“Most parts of Odisha have experienced overcast conditions and rainfall activity in the last five days. There was widespread rainfall in the State due to which daytime temperature dipped at many places,” said Scientist with Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Umasankar Das.

Coldest February in last 5 years 

Das attributed the rainfall activity to the warm and moist wind blowing towards Odisha from the Bay of Bengal, the western disturbance and the subtropical westerly jet core near Jharkhand. 

The subtropical westerly jet core is a belt of fastest moving wind travelling between 10 km and 12 km from the surface of the earth usually over northern parts of the country during the winter months. 

It moved towards Bangladesh on Saturday and rainfall activity is expected to reduce in the State from Sunday, Das said.

Meanwhile, Keonjhar recorded 22 mm rainfall, followed by 15.3 mm in Boudh and 15.2 mm in Nayagarh. Both Cuttack and Bhubaneswar recorded 3.4 mm and 3.6 mm rainfall respectively.

Light to moderate rainfall or thundershower activity is expected at a few places in 16 districts on Sunday, the met office said adding, Angul, Sonepur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore could report cold wave conditions.

Maximum temperature

  • 17.2 C Balasore.

  • 19.6 C Chandbali.

  • 19.6 C Cuttack.

  • 20.6 C Bhubaneswar.

Rainfall:

  • 22 mm Keonjhar.

  • 15.3 mm Boudh.

  • 15.2 mm Nayagarh.

  • 3.4 mm Cuttack.

  • 3.6 mm Bhubaneswar.

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