BHUBANESWAR: The wait for the monsoon in Odisha may extend a bit longer as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that the rain-bearing weather system is likely to reach the state in four to five days.

According to the national weather agency, conditions are favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance in parts of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha over the next few days. Weather experts estimate that the monsoon will arrive in Odisha sometime between June 12 and 15, just in time for the Raja festival.

Currently, Odisha is experiencing extreme weather fluctuations, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, accompanied by intense heat and humidity, followed by sharp drops in temperature due to rain, thundershowers, and hailstorms in the evenings.

The state is facing severe pre-monsoon heat, with high humidity levels, as temperatures consistently remain above 40 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, seven locations in the state recorded temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or higher. Jharsuguda was the hottest at 41.6 degrees Celsius, which is 1.9 degrees Celsius above normal, followed by Balangir at 41.4 degrees Celsius (+1.6 degrees Celsius), Boudh at 41.2 degrees Celsius, Bargarh at 40.6 degrees Celsius, Sambalpur at 40.4 degrees Celsius (+0.3 degrees Celsius), and both Talcher and Hirakud at 40 degrees Celsius.

In the Twin City area, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded temperatures of 38.6 degrees Celsius and 37.4 degrees Celsius, respectively. The state capital and neighboring Cuttack’s temperatures were above normal by 1.8 degrees Celsius and 0.7 degrees Celsius, respectively, during this period.

The regional meteorological office has predicted hot and humid weather in several districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh, for the next two days.