Rain, thunderstorm to occur in several districts till May 19: IMD

Bhubaneswar: Several Odisha districts are likely to witness rain and thunderstorm till May 19, the IMD forecast said. After the southwest monsoon arrived in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Tuesday, conditions are favourable for its advancement to other parts of India, including Kerala, IMD sources said.

"It is too early to predict the arrival of monsoon in Odisha. A trough extending from east Bihar to north Rayalaseema is influencing the current weather patterns across the region. Rain and thundershowers are likely in several districts till May 19," said Sanjeev Dwivedi, weather scientist at IMD's regional office here. The official date for the arrival of monsoon in Odisha is June 11.

Rain and thundershowers are likely at a few places in coastal and interior Odisha, with yellow warnings issued for continued thunderstorm in southern and eastern districts on Thursday and Friday. Similarly, isolated rain and thunderstorm will continue in southern and western Odisha districts till May 19, the IMD forecast said.

People are advised to stay indoors, avoid raking shelter under trees, and unplug electrical appliances during thunderstorm. Farmers are urged to secure loose structures, postpone harvesting, and use hail nets where necessary.

The IMD forecast said hot and humid conditions will continue in coastal areas, though a drop of up to 4C in day temperatures was observed in parts of coastal Odisha on Wednesday. "With sea breeze continuing in the state, it is bringing in moisture from the Bay of Bengal, causing humid conditions across the coastal areas. The day temperature will be in the ‘no large change category' for the next few days," Dwivedi added.

On Wednesday, Boudh recorded the highest temperature of 42.5C, followed by 40.9C at Sambalpur, 40.6C at Bargarh, and 40.2C in Balangir. Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum temperature of 38.3C, while humidity levels ranged between 65% to 72%, increasing the discomfort levels.