Odisha in India’s core heatwave zone
Odisha is among the top 10 Indian states experiencing the most compound hot-humid days between 2015 and 2024, with temperatures breaching 45°C in multiple districts and Bhubaneswar recording a heat index of 52°C. The India Meteorological Department forecasts continued extreme heat, humidity, and warm nights until May 27, while 18 suspected sunstroke deaths have been reported, with three confirmed.
Odisha has emerged as one of the 10 most affected states in India due to compound hot-humid days—a combination of extreme heat and high atmospheric moisture—between 2015 and 2024. The state is currently part of India’s core heatwave zone, alongside Rajasthan, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, and parts of Maharashtra, where heatwave frequency and duration have risen significantly. Bhubaneswar recorded unusually high temperatures, with 30.6°C at 5:30 AM and a heat index of 42°C due to 88% humidity. By 11:30 AM, temperatures reached 37.2°C with 60% humidity, pushing the heat index to an unbearable 52°C. The city’s daytime temperature peaked at 39.3°C, 1.6°C above normal. Across Odisha, five districts—Jharsuguda (45.2°C), Boudh, Sambalpur, Titilagarh, and Hirakud—recorded temperatures above 45°C, with Sambalpur exceeding normal levels by 3.2°C. The India Meteorological Department predicts heatwave conditions, high humidity, and warm nights until May 27, driven by dry north-westerly winds and a lack of active weather systems. So far, 18 suspected sunstroke deaths have been reported, with three confirmed. Weather experts attribute the intensifying heatwaves to urban heat-trapping, rising humidity, dry soils, and climate change-driven warming, creating deadlier and more widespread extreme heat conditions.
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