Weather update: Heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in Odisha, red alert in many districts; Delhi cloudy

While a deep depression is looming over the Bay of Bengal, heavy to very heavy rainfall alert has been issued for a number of states. The national capital region, too, is likely to receive rainfall in the weekend, however the intensity may be low.

The India Metereological Department on Friday rejected a warning of a deep depression intensifying into a cyclone predicted by the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s (JTWC) on Thursday, even as several places in Odisha were pounded by heavy rain under the impact of the weather system.

“The deep depression over northwest and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards during the past six hours with a speed of 14 kmph, and lay centered at 5.30 pm over northwest Bay of Bengal,” the IMD said in a bulletin.

The bulletin added that continuing to move west-northwestwards, the weather system crossed West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha coasts between Balasore and Sagar Islands, close to Digha during 7 pm to 8 pm on Friday.

It would continue to move west-northwestwards across West Bengal, north Odisha and Jharkhand towards north Chhattisgarh during the next 24 hours and weaken gradually.

Under its influence, squally surface winds reaching speeds of up to 55-65 kmph is expected in coastal areas and 30-40 kmph in interior districts of Odisha.

Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena told reporters that the system has made landfall and under its impact, northern districts of the state will receive heavy rainfall till Saturday morning.

Rainfall is expected in the interior parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand later on Saturday as well, he said.

The IMD has issued a red’ warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts till 8.30 am on Saturday.

It has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in districts like Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Balangir and Jajpur during this period.

Schools to remain shut due to incessant rain in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi

Schools in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district will remain closed on Saturday due to incessant rain, Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said.

In view of incessant rain in Mandi for the past more than two days and weather forecast of heavy rainfall in next 24 hours, it has been decided that all government and private educational institutions (except colleges and ITI) will remain closed on August 20, he said in the order issued on Friday evening.

All anganwadis will also remain closed, he said.

Heads of educational institutions will ensure strict compliance of the order, he added.

Rain Forecast in Delhi

Delhiites on Saturday woke up to a cloudy morning after three consecutive days of sultry weather. The national capital is expected to receive low intensity rainfall in the next two days, which may also bring relief from the atrocious combination of humid weather with a blazing sun.

After surplus rains in July, the Safdarjung Observatory has recorded just 27.2 mm of rainfall so far in August against a normal of 131.9 mm.