Bhubaneswar: Rain may dampen the upcoming Ganesh Puja and Nuakhai celebrations in Odisha as a fresh low pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around August 25.

The people across the state will celebrate Ganesh Puja on August 27 and Nuakhai, an agrarian festival, the next day (August 28). However, the rainfall activity may continue in the state till at least August 30.

As per the IMD weather bulletin, the low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood persists over the same region today. The associated upper air cyclonic circulation extends upto 7.6 km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards with height. It is likely to move west northwestwards across Jharkhand during next 24 hours and weaken gradually thereafter.

A fresh low-pressure area is likely to form over northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts around August 25, said the IMD.

Several districts in Odisha including Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Balasore, Puri, Nayagarh and Ganjam may witness heavy rainfall and thunderstorm till August 28. The IMD has issued a Yellow warning in this regard.

Besides, thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri during the next five days, said the IMD regional centre in its weather bulletin today.

This apart, light to moderate rainfall is very likely to continue across the state till August 30, added the IMD.

Light to moderate rain or thundershower has occurred at most places over the districts of Odisha during last 24 hours. Besides, heavy to very heavy rain has lashed one or two places over the districts of Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Bargarh, Sundargarh and Angul during the period.