Bhubaneswar, Nov 7: Winter chill is set to tighten its grip over Odisha from Friday night, with temperatures expected to drop by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by Sunday, according to weather expert Professor Surendranath Pashupalak.

As per his forecast, Rourkela, Turumunga (Keonjhar), Baliguda (Kandhamal), and Gajapur (Gajapati) may see the mercury plunging to around 12°C. Night temperatures in Sambalpur, Bhawanipatna, Jharsuguda, and Mohana are likely to settle around 14°C.

The cold spell is expected to persist for the next two weeks, with a noticeable drop in both day and night temperatures across many parts of the state. Daytime temperatures are projected to hover around 24°C in southern Odisha, 24–25°C in northern regions, and 27–28°C in coastal areas including Bhubaneswar. Between Friday and Sunday, Balasore is likely to record around 16°C at night, while Bhubaneswar may experience a minimum of 18°C.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that temperatures will remain stable for the next two days before dipping by 2–3°C over the subsequent three days.

On the global front, international meteorologist Bell Noll, citing the ECMWF model, has projected a shift from La Niña to El Niño conditions by early 2026. This transition, caused by the sudden warming of western Pacific Ocean waters, could lead to a significant rise in global temperatures by 2027.

In Odisha, Phulbani recorded the lowest night temperature at 13°C on Wednesday. Other minimum temperatures included Angul at 16°C, Koraput at 16.5°C, Sundargarh at 16.6°C, Rourkela at 17.3°C, and Jharsuguda at 17.4°C.