Bhubaneswar, September 29: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for several districts across Odisha, forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with lightning, and gusty surface winds till October 4. This adverse weather is expected to disrupt Durga Puja celebrations in the state.

The warning comes in light of a trough linked to a well-marked low-pressure system stretching from the Gulf of Cambay to the west-central Bay of Bengal, extending across southern Odisha at 0.9 km above sea level. The IMD's midday weather bulletin indicated that this system could cause local atmospheric instability, leading to moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across many parts of the state over the next few days.

On September 30, heavy rain and thunderstorms, accompanied by gusty winds (30–40 km/h), are expected in districts such as Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput, and Rayagada. Additional thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are also anticipated in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar.

The yellow warning is set to continue on October 1, with similar conditions expected in Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi, along with isolated heavy rains in other districts. Thunderstorms and gusty winds are also predicted for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, and Keonjhar.

On October 2, the yellow warning will remain in effect, with forecasts of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam. Meanwhile, central, coastal, and interior Odisha will experience thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.

The warning will continue until October 4, with no sign of easing up.

In view of the rough weather, the IMD has advised fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea along the Odisha coast and the northern and central Bay of Bengal from October 1 to 3.