BHUBANESWAR: It is not often that the mercury plummets during the summer in the state capital like it did on Wednesday. Thanks to the unseasonal showers that lashed Bhubaneswar - and many other parts of the state - for the last two days, half a century’s weather records have been shattered.
It was as if winter had returned to Bhubaneswar with maximum day temperature dipping to 19.2 degree Celsius, at least 17.4 degree C below normal. In fact, it was coldest in the month of March in the history of the city, shattering a 54-year-old record. Not only the capital city, four other places in Odisha also recorded the lowest maximum day temperature for March. Cuttack recorded 20 degree C, Puri 20.4 degree C, Chandbali 21 degree C, Paradip 20.7 degree C and Baripada 20.4 degree C, said Umasankar Das, scientist of Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar.
For Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the previous lowest for March was 24.3 degree C and 23.6 degree C respectively on March 6, 1970, at least 54 years earlier. Similarly, Puri’s lowest maximum day temperature was 24.6 degree C on March 12, 1989. Chandbali and Baripada too recorded their coldest March day since 1970.
With the nor’wester triggering monsoon like showers, there was not much difference in day and night temperatures in the five places. Bhubaneswar’s minimum temperature on Tuesday night was 17.4 degree C, while Cuttack was colder at 16.5 degree C. Puri, Chandbali, Paradip and Baripada too recorded similar conditions.
The regional met office said the entire coastal region recorded below normal day temperature in the range of 10-to-16 degree C on Wednesday.
In the last 24 hours, widespread rains lashed the state under the influence of a cyclonic circulation. The state received 25.2 mm rains during the period, which was in excess of 3, 896 per cent of the normal. Gondia and Bhuban in Dhenkanal, Athamallik in Angul, Kantamal in Boudh, Daringbadi, Patnagarh, Komna in Nuapada and Talcher received 70 mm rainfall each during the period. Meanwhile, the regional weather office has predicted that the winter-like condition will soon be gone and the summer feel with be back with a vengeance. As rainfall activity will subside in the state from Thursday onwards, day temperature is expected to gradually rise by 8 degree to 10 degree C in many parts of the state within three days. Night temperature is also likely to rise by 3 degree C to 5 degree C within four to five days.
Chill
4 other places in state also recorded lowest maximum day temp in March
State recorded 25.2 mm rains in the last 24 hours