A biting cold wave has settled over Odisha, marking the first time this year that mercury dipped to 3 °C. Snowfall and dense fog have blanketed several districts, with the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre forecasting the chill to persist for two more days.
The cold is most severe in Semilguda, where the minimum temperature is 3.5 °C, followed by G. Udaygiri at 4 °C. Sixteen cities are recording 10 °C or lower. On December 13, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Angul will face a cold wave, and isolated fog is expected in parts of Sundargarh and Koraput.
Residents are lighting fires to stay warm, and labourers are finding it hard to start work before 10 a.m. The IMD says the cold will intensify until the 15th and continue until the 20th, with night temperatures unchanged in northern interior and western districts; after the 21st, some areas may see a slight rise and fog.