Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a nowcast warning for the capital of Odisha, effective until approximately 5 PM today.
Residents can expect moderate thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and light to moderate rainfall in various parts of Bhubaneswar within the next hour. The IMD has urged individuals to take necessary safety precautions and stay updated on changing weather conditions.
This advisory comes as a Deep Depression in the northwest Bay of Bengal and nearby areas of the West Bengal-North Odisha coasts was located about 120 km east-southeast of the Baleshwar coast at 11:30 AM. The system is projected to move nearly northwards, skirting Sagar Island and crossing the West Bengal-North Odisha coast between Baleshwar and Canning, near Haldia, later in the afternoon, according to the IMD’s special bulletin.
As a result of this weather system, heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated at several locations in Odisha on July 27, with isolated areas possibly experiencing extremely heavy rainfall. Following that, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected on July 28, and heavy rainfall is forecast from July 29 to August 1.
The meteorological office has issued a red warning for the districts of Sundargarh, Kendujhar, and Mayurbhanj on July 27. Additionally, heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur in select areas of Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Baragarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Balangir, and Kalahandi. Heavy rainfall is also likely in Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha, and Nayagarh.
The IMD has additionally warned of squally winds reaching speeds of 50-60 km/h, gusting up to 70 km/h over the North Bay of Bengal and adjacent Odisha-West Bengal-north Andhra Pradesh coasts until the morning of July 28, with a gradual decrease expected thereafter. Squally winds with speeds of 40-50 km/h, gusting to 60 km/h, may also affect the central and northeast Bay of Bengal during this timeframe.
All ports in Odisha have been instructed to raise Local Cautionary Signal No-III (LC-3).
