Bhubaneswar, June 8: Pre-monsoon showers lashed parts of the state, including the state capital today.
Weather scientists forecast that the pre-monsoon rain and thundershowers are likely to continue over north, south and coastal parts of the state over the next 48 hours, while those living in the interior pockets of the state will witness the same hot and humid weather.
Today, the Met department recorded a highest rainfall of 52mm in Gopalpur, followed by 17mm in Jharsuguda and 11.2mm in Titilagarh. The rainfall in Bhubaneswar was, however, light with only 1mm today. In interior Odisha, the mercury continued to touch the 40°C-mark in Hirakud, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda.
"The intermittent rain had brought some relief. But, humidity continues to be unbearable especially in the morning hours. However, the present weather condition is better than the harsh summer. I hope that rainfall will be good this monsoon," said Shahid Raja, a resident of Unit-IV in Bhubaneswar.
The Met centre has also issued the warning of thunder squall accompanied with gusty surface wind reaching the speed of up to 60kmph in a few places in interior parts of the state in the next 24 hours, without any noticeable change in the daytime temperature and humidity in those areas.
"The rainfall will continue to occur over coastal and southern areas of the state as part of the pre-monsoon showers, while the heat and humidity will remain high in the interior areas of the state. This weather trend will continue for the next two to three days," said Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu.
In another development, weather scientists traced the southwest monsoon in most parts of Kerala and a few areas of Karnataka today. They hope that the monsoon will arrive in Odisha early next week.
"We have traced a cyclonic circulation as well as a trough line over the Bay of Bengal that is contributing to the present rain in the state. These systems over the sea is also helping in the advancement of the southwest monsoon that is likely to hit the state before June 15," said Sahu.
