Bhubaneswar, Jan 6: Cold conditions are set to intensify across Odisha as night temperatures are likely to fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next few days, the Meteorological Department said on Tuesday. Dense fog is also expected in districts such as Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Cuttack, Gajapati, and Kandhamal.

Weather expert Professor Surendranath Pashupalak said that over the next three days, minimum temperatures across the state may drop by around 3 degrees Celsius. This will be followed by a marginal rise of about 2 degrees during the subsequent three days. He added that the temperature pattern may remain largely unchanged till Makar Sankranti.

According to the forecast, cold conditions may temporarily ease in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, and parts of the southern coastal belt on the night of the 10th, but are expected to return from the 11th onward. Fog is likely in Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, and interior parts of Ganjam over the next two days. However, there is no significant fog warning for Bhubaneswar and Cuttack for the next 10 days.

After Makar Sankranti, a gradual reduction in cold is likely in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Berhampur, and other southern coastal districts, Professor Pashupalak said.

The Meteorological Department has predicted that minimum temperatures on Tuesday night may dip to 7 degrees Celsius in Jharsuguda and Rourkela. Phulbani is likely to record 8 degrees, while Boudh and Koraput may see around 9 degrees. Kendrapada may record 10 degrees, and Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Angul, and Balasore are expected to experience around 11 degrees Celsius. Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Deogarh, Baripada, and Malkangiri may record minimum temperatures of about 12 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the lowest temperatures recorded on Sunday night included 8.5 degrees Celsius at Daringbadi, 9.8 degrees at G. Udayagiri, 10 degrees at Phulbani, and 10.4 degrees at Koraput.