Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal on October 21, prompting a rain and thunderstorm alert for several districts of Odisha over the next three days.

According to the IMD’s mid-day bulletin issued on Sunday, a cyclonic circulation currently lies over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21. The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal and adjoining west-central Bay within the next 48 hours.

Rain and Thunderstorm Warning

The IMD has issued a Yellow Warning for thunderstorms with lightning accompanied by gusty surface winds (30–40 kmph) in several parts of the state from October 19 to 21.

October 19:
Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds likely at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Nabarangpur districts.

October 20:
Similar weather conditions expected in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Rayagada, and Koraput districts.

October 21:
Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds likely in Rayagada, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts.

Fog Forecast

In addition to the rain warning, the IMD has predicted shallow to moderate fog in parts of Odisha during the early morning hours of October 20 and 21, particularly over Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts.

The weather office has advised people in the affected regions to stay alert, avoid outdoor activities during thunderstorms, and follow local advisories issued by the authorities.