Deep depression brings extremely heavy rain threats across Odisha
Heavy rainfall warnings remain active for Odisha as a deep depression tracks across the region. India Meteorological Department officials confirmed the system was centered near latitude 18.5°N and longitude 83.5°E at 0830 hours IST on September 24, 2026. This precise location positions the weather system approximately 70 kilometers west-northwest of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 80 kilometers south-southeast of Rayagada, 90 kilometers east-southeast of Koraput, and 170 kilometers east-southeast of Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.
Moving northwest at a consistent speed of 7 kilometers per hour over the previous six hours, the system is actively bringing severe weather conditions to southern and western districts. Weather systems originating in the Bay of Bengal frequently affect the eastern coast during September, bringing critical moisture for agriculture but posing distinct flood risks. Forecast models indicate the deep depression will likely weaken into a standard depression by Thursday evening. Following this transition, the weather system will continue its north-northwestward trajectory through western Odisha districts toward northern Chhattisgarh, gradually losing intensity over the subsequent 24 hours.
Rainfall Records And Immediate Alerts
Widespread precipitation has already affected significant portions of the state with high intensity. Realized weather data for the past 24 hours reveals an actual district average rainfall of 41.5 millimeters for Odisha. This figure represents a 624 percent departure from the normal baseline of 5.7 millimeters for this time of year. Weather stations recorded extreme variations, with Similiguda in Koraput district logging the highest rainfall at 193.9 millimeters. Chitrakunda followed closely at 168.8 millimeters, while Mahendragarh recorded 153.4 millimeters. Across the state, 58 stations reported heavy rainfall, and seven stations recorded very heavy rainfall. During this same period, Sonepur recorded the highest maximum temperature at 35.0°C, while Boudh experienced the lowest minimum at 19.7°C.
Meteorological authorities have issued specific nowcast warnings addressing immediate weather threats. Light to moderate rain, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 40 kilometers per hour, will affect numerous districts over a three-hour window. These vulnerable areas include Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Balangir, Deogarh, Boudh, Puri, Khordha, Jajpur, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Rayagada, and Sonepur. Duty officers urge residents in these specific zones to monitor the changing environment and plan safety measures accordingly.
Official forecast and district impacts
Forecasters have mapped out the expected weather patterns for the coming days to help authorities prepare. Day-1 forecasts specify an extremely heavy rainfall warning for the state, with isolated heavy to very heavy precipitation expected across both Day-1 and Day-2. Official rainfall forecast maps, valid until 0830 hours IST on September 25, show widespread rain conditions covering 76 to 100 percent of reporting stations across all regional districts. Isolated heavy rainfall, isolated thunderstorms, and gusty winds will persist through Day-3. Following this volatile period, conditions will stabilize, with no formal warnings issued from Day-4 through Day-7.
Districts facing the highest threat of moderate to heavy rainfall today include Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Nuapada, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Kandhamal, and Rayagada. Moderate precipitation will blanket the remaining districts of Odisha throughout the day. Projections suggest a gradual decrease in overall rainfall intensity starting September 25. Despite this general improvement, moderate to heavy showers may still occur at select locations across western Odisha districts into tomorrow.
