The southwest monsoon, which got delayed nearly by a week, finally hit parts of the State on Friday, triggering rain in different places and providing respite to people from the torrid heat wave conditions.
The monsoon covered Baleswar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh districts.
It also arrived in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and parts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Angul and Keonjhar.
The Regional Office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) here said conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon into rest parts of the State during the next 48 hours.
The IMD predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers to occur at most places over the districts of the State.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Sundargarh and isolated heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khordha, Ganjam and Puri on Saturday.
The IMD also predicted light to moderate rain or thunder-shower at most places over the districts of north interior Odisha and many places over the rest districts of the State.
Besides, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Nuapada, Subarnapur, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on Saturday.