IMD Issues Thunderstorm Alert for Odisha; Yellow and Orange Warnings in Multiple Districts

Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a yellow warning for several districts of Odisha, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds over the next 24 hours. The alert comes as an upper air cyclonic circulation continues to impact weather conditions across the state.

According to the midday bulletin from the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds reaching speeds of 30–40 kmph are very likely at isolated places in districts such as Malkangiri, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda and Puri.

The IMD attributed the prevailing weather to an upper air cyclonic circulation over Odisha and its neighbourhood at around 0.9 km above mean sea level, along with another system over the west-central Bay of Bengal.

Light to moderate rainfall has already been reported from several districts, including Nayagarh, Khurda, Rayagada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Ganjam and Sundargarh.

In addition, the weather office has issued an orange warning for select districts, predicting more intense conditions such as thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and stronger winds reaching 50–60 kmph in parts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore, along with some southern and coastal regions.

The bulletin also noted a significant drop in daytime temperatures, with a fall of 5–9°C recorded across many parts of north interior Odisha. Temperatures in several districts are currently below normal.

For Bhubaneswar and nearby areas, the forecast suggests a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thunderstorms. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 35°C, while the minimum may settle near 22°C over the next 24 hours.

The IMD has advised residents to remain cautious, avoid taking shelter under trees during thunderstorms, and stay indoors whenever possible. Farmers have been warned about possible damage to standing crops and urged to take protective measures, including the use of hail nets.

Meanwhile, fishermen have been cautioned against venturing into the sea along and off the north Odisha coast from April 7 to April 9 due to squally weather and rough to very rough sea conditions.