Bhubaneswar: Heat wave conditions in Odisha may persist for a week to ten days as weather conditions were influenced by the prevailing climate over Pakistan and Afghanistan, Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) said Thursday.
Model products indicated that the maximum day temperature in north Odisha varied between 43 to 45 degrees Celsius while the temperature hovered between 41 and 43 degrees Celsius in the southern districts, CEC Director Sarat Chandra Sahu said.
The meteorological systems were forming one after another over Pakistan and Afghanistan leading to heavy rainfall there which influenced weather conditions in India, he said.
The systems, the CEC Director said either remained stationary or moved slightly towards the northwestern states of India.
Because of this, no major rain bearing system formed over central India and eastern states leading to flow of dry north-westerly hot wind from the central plains into eastern India, Odisha in particular.
This explained the prolonged spell of heatwaves in Odisha, Sahu added.
The system persisting over Pakistan and its adjoining region at present could move slowly towards eastern India and cause rain and thunderstorms in coastal and nearby districts May 1 which would lead to drop in temperature by 3 to 4 degrees,he said adding the heat might increase from May 4.
Bad weather causing heavy rainfall has been continuing in Pakistan for the last 15 to 20 days in areas known for extreme heat during the summer.
Jacobabad in Pakistan has a record of registering day temperature of 52.8 degrees Celsius. The prevailing weather in the neighbouring country has been impacting the flow of sea breeze from the Bay of Bengal which was not getting stronger though anti-cyclone was persisting, the CEC Director said.
As many as 35 cities in Odisha, the day temperatures recorded over 40 degree Celsius, of which five cities the mercury hovered over 43 degree Celsius. Jharsuguda, an industrial belt in Western Odisha became the hottest place in the state with day temperature rising to 43.8 degree Celsius followed by Baripada (43.6), Nuapada (43.5) , Talcher (43.4) and Boudh (43.2).
The state capital of Bhubaneswar which has been experiencing an unprecedented rise in the day temperature and become the hottest place in the state on three occasions in the past few days, recorded 42.2 degree Celsius today.
UNI