Mercury registers upward swing as monsoon weakens in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: With the southwest monsoon's force weakening for a week, day temperatures across the state have begun rising.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD)'s latest report said Titlagarh recorded Thursday's highest temperature of 40°C in the state. Similarly, the day temperatures at Talcher and Balangir were 39.2°C and 39°C, respectively. The state capital recorded 37.2°C, a degree above normal.

The IMD said day temperatures would continue to rise in the state till the monsoon flow was activated again. It also said there would be little rainfall in the state during this period. For Friday, the IMD forecast rain and thunderstorms in isolated places.

The official rainfall report recorded on Thursday morning said a few places in the state saw light rainfall. Sundargarh, Bamra in Sambalpur district and Kolabira in Jharsuguda district recorded 10 mm rainfall each.

Meanwhile, the monsoon, which hit the Odisha coast on June 8, has covered 13 of the 30 districts fully and eight more districts partially. The districts fully covered by the monsoon are Jagatsinghpur, Malkangiri, Koraput, Kendrapada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Bhadrak, Rayagada, Gajapati, Balasore, Ganjam, Puri and Khurda.