Heat wave conditions in Odisha likely to persist for a week: CEC

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 on Thursday.

Model products indicated that the maximum day temperature in north Odisha varied between 43 to 45 degrees C while the temperature hovered between 41 and 43 degrees C in the southern districts, Dr. Sarat Chandra Sahu, Director of CEC, said.

Dr. Sahu said meteorological systems were forming one after another over Pakistan and Afghanistan leading to heavy rainfall there which influenced weather conditions in India. The systems either remained stationary or moved slightly towards the north western states of India, he said.

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 heat wave in Odisha, Dr. Sahu said.

The system persisting over Pakistan and its adjoining region at present could move slowly towards eastern India and cause rain and thundershower in coastal and nearby districts on 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 C. 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, Dr. Sahu said.