For the third consecutive day, the Capital city continued to be the hottest spot in the State as the mercury touched 40.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The temperature was 39.3 degrees on Friday and 39.2 degrees on Thursday. The increasing trend of the mercury threw life out of gear in the city.
Angul was the second hottest city with 39.1 degrees followed by Malkangiri and Bhawanipatna with 39.0 degrees. The maximum temperature in as many as 14 places across the State recorded over 37 degrees on Saturday. The places were Sonepur (37.2), Baripada (37.5), Jharsuguda (37.5), Baleswar (37.5), Hirakud (37.6), Chandbali (38.2), Titilagarh (38), Cuttack (38), Balangir (38), Talcher (38.8).
The Regional Meteorological Office here had earlier predicted that the temperature would marginally decrease by one or two degrees from February 22. However, the latest forecast said the mercury would rise from February 25.