Bhubaneswar: The regional Met department here has predicted fresh spell of rain in the city following the detection of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

It said moderate to heavy rain would lash the state's coastal belt within the next 48 hours.

The rain will also contribute to a dip in the night and day temperatures in the city. The skies will remain cloudy, adding to the humidity.

"The low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal and its neighbourhood persists with an associated upper air cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6km above mean sea level. Rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places of the state in the next 24 hours," read a bulletin issued by the Met.

Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu said the low-pressure area was likely to remain active over the sea, but it was less likely to intensify any further.

"Rainfall will occur for the coastal belt in the next 48 hours, but it will decrease thereafter," said Sahu, adding that the temperature was also likely to go down as a result.

Weather experts said the rainfall activity would continue till November 17 but decrease thereafter, following which the chilly winds would make its way into the state.

"Temperatures will go down with the rain, but it is likely to have a steep fall after the rain around November 20 across the state," said a weatherman.

"Mid-November is round the corner, but there is no sign of winter. It is nothing but a major impact of climate change. Normal rain occurs often during this time, but I have never heard of a low pressure around this time of the year in the past,"said Gayatri Vihar resident Lalit Mohapatra.