Bhubaneswar. Jan 8: Odisha continues to reel under an intense cold wave, with the mercury plunging to freezing levels in several parts of the state. Similipal recorded a minimum temperature of zero degrees Celsius, while G. Udayagiri and Semiliguda registered 3 degrees and 4.1 degrees Celsius respectively. On Tuesday night, as many as 23 locations across the state reported minimum temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, with most areas recording temperatures 5 to 8 degrees below normal.

The severe cold left the entire state shivering, affecting not only people but also wildlife, as bone-chilling conditions prevailed across both urban and forested regions.

According to the Meteorological Department, the cold wave is likely to intensify further, with no significant relief expected until January 12. Minimum temperatures in most parts of the state are forecast to remain below 10 degrees Celsius, while some areas may witness temperatures dipping below 5 degrees. On Thursday night, Jharsuguda, Phulbani and Rourkela are likely to see the mercury fall below 5 degrees Celsius. Angul, Keonjhar, Bhawanipatna and Sundargarh may record around 8 degrees, while Nabarangpur, Koraput, Balangir, Boudh and Baripada could hover near 9 degrees Celsius.

The cold conditions are expected to persist into Friday night as well, with Phulbani, Jharsuguda and Rourkela likely to record around 6 degrees Celsius. Sundargarh may see temperatures near 8 degrees, while Bhawanipatna and Koraput are expected to record around 9 degrees Celsius.

Senior meteorologist Professor Surendranath Pashupalak said the coastal belt, stretching from Kendrapara to Ganjam, is likely to experience some relief after Makar Sankranti. However, interior and southern districts including Kandhamal, Koraput, Gajapati, Rayagada and interior Ganjam are expected to remain under cold conditions until the end of January.

Explaining the prolonged cold spell, Professor Pashupalak said night temperatures across Odisha, along with Jharkhand and West Bengal, are currently 3 to 5 degrees below normal. He added that severe cold wave conditions in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, coupled with the inflow of dry, cold winds from the snow-covered Himalayan region, are influencing the weather pattern in Odisha.

He further attributed the prevailing conditions to the ongoing La Nina phase, absence of western disturbances and clear skies, which are causing higher radiation loss at night. Morning fog is also delaying the warming effect of sunlight, keeping daytime temperatures low.

On Tuesday night, Phulbani recorded 5 degrees Celsius, followed by Rourkela at 5.1 degrees, Jharsuguda at 5.4 degrees, Daringbadi at 7 degrees, Kirei at 7.4 degrees, Keonjhar at 7.6 degrees, Chipilima at 7.7 degrees, and Sundargarh and Bhawanipatna at 7.8 degrees Celsius. Jharsuguda recorded the highest deviation from normal at 6.4 degrees below average, while Angul, Bhubaneswar, Koraput, Balasore, Baripada and Keonjhar also recorded significantly lower-than-normal temperatures.