The heat wave continued to scorch different parts of the State with temperature soaring above 45 degree Celsius at four stations on Tuesday, hitting normal life hard.
Twelve places recorded temperature above 40 degree.
Indian Metrological Department (IMD) Regional Director Sarat Sahu said the weather office had issued an Orange Alert for the western and interior parts of the State and it still stands. The heat wave condition would remain for three more days; and from May 20, the temperature would come down and hover around 40 degree Celsius.
Sahu said the temperature in the coastal areas, including the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, would remain below 40 degree. There are chances of nor’wester hitting the western and interior parts and it would bring the temperature down.
The monsoons, which have already hit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, would likely reach Kerala by June 1. If the conditions are favourable, it would hit the Odisha coast by June second week, Sahu said.
The day’s highest temperature of 46.5 degree Celsius was recorded at Titilagarh followed by Balangir with 46.4 degree, Jharsuguda 45.5 degree, Malkangiri 45.2 degree, Sambalpur 44.9 degree, Angul 44.1 degree, Hirakud 44.6 degree, Bhawanipatna 44.5 degree, Sonepur 44.8 degree, Talcher 42 degree, Sundargarh 42 degree and Phulbani 42.6 degree.
Bhubaneswar had a temperature of 39 degree Celsius and Cuttack 38 degree. The weather office forecast that Bhubaneswar would have a partly cloudy sky and temperature of around 40 degree Celsius on Wednesday with chances of rain or thundershowers.
Fishermen were warned not to venture into sea as strong and gusty winds reaching speeds of 45 km to 55 km per hour are likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast.