The State capital on Monday recorded an all-time high temperature of 45.8 degree Celsius in the month of April. The previous highest temperature recorded in the city, now rated as the “Smartest” in the country, was 45 degree on April 23, 1985.
Meanwhile, the Regional Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here issued a warning of ‘severe heat wave conditions’ in next five days.
Met Centre Director Sarat Chandra Sahu said the sharp rise in the temperature in the State was caused as the wind flow which was from the western direction in the morning changed its course to the north-western direction. Reduced cool sea breeze was also a reason for the rise in temperature.
He said that though there is a possibility of the hot air becoming lighter and going upwards allowing the flow of wind from the sea and triggering effect of norwester (Kalabaisakhi) through quick formation of clouds, but there is no indication of clouds till now as per the model indicator.
According to the IMD data, as many as 17 places in the State recorded temperatures above 40 degree Celsius on the day.
While Chandbali registered 44.4 degree Celsius, Jharsuguda recorded (43.4), Cuttack (42.5), Angul (42.1), Baripada (42.5), Keonjhar (41.5), Baleswar (41), Sambalpur (42.3), Sundargarh (43.5), Hirakud (42.9), Talcher (43.8), Bhawanipatna (42.7), Balangir (43.2), Phulbani (40), Titlagarh (42.3) and Malkangiri (42.4).