Odisha braces for rainfall as Bay of Bengal low pressure system strengthens

Bhubaneswar, Dec 20: Odisha is expected to receive light to moderate rainfall on December 20-21, as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to strengthen into a depression within the next 12 hours.

The India Meteorological Department reported that the system located in the southwest and adjacent west-central Bay of Bengal moved nearly northward and was positioned over the west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal at 5:30 AM.

The agency anticipates that it will continue to move northward and consolidate into a depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours. Following this, it is expected to shift north-northeast while maintaining its intensity as a depression for the following 24 hours.

As a result, the state capital has been experiencing intermittent rainfall since last night. The weather department previously indicated the likelihood of light to moderate rain in several districts, including Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri on December 20, with light rain also expected in parts of coastal Odisha.

On December 21, light rain may occur in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Bhadrak. Additionally, a decrease in night temperatures by 2-4°C is forecasted starting December 23.