Odisha Shivers as Cold Wave Intensifies; Temperature Drops to 4°C in Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is reeling under a severe cold wave, with the minimum temperature plunging to 4°C in G Udayagiri, Kandhamal, marking the season’s lowest on Sunday.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ten locations recorded temperatures below 10°C. Semiliguda recorded 6.1°C, followed by Rourkela (7.2°C), Daringbadi (7.5°C), Jharsuguda (7.6°C), Phulbani (8°C), Chipilima (8.7°C), Kirei (8.8°C), Angul (9°C), Keonjhar (9.6°C), and Sundargarh (10°C).

Several other places witnessed a sharp dip in temperature, including Koraput (10.3°C), Bhawanipatna (10.5°C), Nabarangapur (11°C), Dhenkanal (11.4°C), Balangir, Baripada, and Boudh (11.5°C), Cuttack (11.8°C), Bhubaneswar (11.9°C), and Sambalpur (12°C).

Forest department officials reported that the temperature in Similipal’s core area dropped to a bone-chilling 2°C.

Night temperatures remained significantly below normal across the state. North interior Odisha recorded temperatures 6°C below normal, while south coastal regions were 4°C below normal and north coastal areas 2–3°C below normal.

Jharsuguda was 6°C below normal, whereas Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kandahar, Koraput, and Gopalpur reported variations of 4°C, 2.8°C, 2.6°C, 2.4°C, and 2°C below normal, respectively.

Rourkela saw one of the most dramatic drops, with temperatures falling nearly 7°C in the past week—from 14.5°C on December 1 to 7.2°C on Sunday.

Authorities have advised residents, especially in the interior districts, to take necessary precautions as cold conditions are expected to persist.