Bhubaneswar, 12/1 : Residents across the interior and northern belts of the state are bracing for a renewed and biting spell of winter chill as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘Yellow Warning’ for severe cold wave conditions. According to the latest mid-day bulletin from the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, night temperatures are poised to plummet significantly, with the mercury likely to dip well below the 10°C mark in at least eight districts over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has specifically identified the districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, and Kandhamal as the primary zones likely to experience this sharp decline in temperature. The sudden onset of the cold wave is attributed to the dry and icy north-westerly and northerly winds penetrating the lower levels of the atmosphere, which are expected to intensify the chill factor across the region significantly starting tonight.
“Minimum temperatures (night temperature) are very likely to fall by 3°C to 5°C at many places over the districts of Interior Odisha during the next two days,” stated a senior scientist at the IMD Bhubaneswar. “Residents in the alerted districts should expect temperatures to hover between 6°C and 9°C, with isolated pockets in the hill stations of Daringbadi and Phulbani potentially recording even lower figures, possibly touching near-freezing points in open fields.”
In light of the warning, the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has issued an urgent advisory to the district collectors of the affected areas. The administration has been directed to ensure that night shelters are fully operational and equipped with blankets and heating arrangements to handle the homeless and destitute. “School authorities have also been asked to remain vigilant, although no closure orders have been issued as of this morning,” an official from the SRC office confirmed.
Public health officials have released guidelines advising the elderly, infants, and those with chronic respiratory or cardiac ailments to limit their exposure to the cold during early morning and late night hours. Doctors recommend layering clothing rather than wearing a single thick layer to trap body heat more effectively.
Dense fog is also anticipated to accompany the drop in temperature, particularly in the early hours, which may reduce visibility to less than 200 meters in some forested and valley areas. Commuters on national highways passing through the ghats of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj have been urged to drive with extreme caution and use fog lights.
The weather department predicts that while the coastal districts—including Khurda, Cuttack, and Puri—will remain relatively warmer compared to the interior, they too will feel the pinch of the winter chill. Minimum temperatures in these areas are expected to settle around 13°C to 15°C, accompanied by chilly breezes in the evening. This cold spell marks the second major winter intensification of the season, and farmers have been advised to take necessary precautions to protect standing crops, particularly vegetables and mustard, from potential frost damage in high-altitude pockets.
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