Cold wave grips Odisha as mercury dips below 15°C in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: A cold wave has tightened its grip over several parts of Odisha as night temperatures dipped sharply, with the capital city Bhubaneswar recording a minimum temperature of 14.8°C on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The fall in temperature marks one of the coldest nights of the season so far in coastal Odisha. The IMD has forecasted that the minimum temperature is likely to drop further by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius during the next two days, indicating a continuation of the cold spell.

As per the observations recorded by the Meteorological Centre here, Daringbadi was the coldest place in the state with 10.0°C. It was followed by Phulbani (11.0°C) and Jharsuguda (11.6°C).

Top coldest places

The top 10 coldest places in Odisha on Monday were:

1. Daringibadi – 10.0°C

2. Phulbani – 11.0°C

3. Jharsuguda – 11.6°C

4. Rourkela – 12.5°C

5. Angul – 12.6°C

6. Keonjhar – 13.8°C

7. Sundargarh – 14.0°C

8. Bhawanipatna – 14.0°C

9. Koraput – 14.2°C

10. Bolangir – 14.5°C

"I had to take out my blanket early this year. The cold wind in the morning feels sharper than usual," said Sarat Nayak, a tea seller near Master Canteen in Bhubaneswar. "Usually, we feel this chill in December, but it’s come quite early this time."

In the hilly town of Daringbadi, residents are already feeling the pinch of winter. "The temperature drops quickly after sunset. We’ve started lighting small fires in the evenings to stay warm," said Pratima Digal, a local shop owner. "Tourists have also started arriving to enjoy the chill."