IMD predicts heavy rainfall in Puri during Rath Jatra

Rains today lashed parts of coastal region of Odisha due to a cyclonic circulation over north Bay of Bengal which is likely to take shape of a low pressure in next 48 hours, IMD said.
"We have forecast heavy rainfall in coastal region and small amount of downpour in interior parts of the state in next 24 hours," director IMD, Sarat Sahu said.
Sahu said the IMD has already informed the state govenrment about the possibility of heavy rainfall in Puri, where Lord Jagannth's annual Rath Jatra festival will be observed tomorrow.
He said Puri has recorded the state's highest rainfall of 52.8 mm during last 12 hours. "There will be cloudy sky over Puri and one or two spell of heavy rainfall in the holy town tomorrow," Sahu said.

Sahu said the low pressure would also trigger rainfall in south Odisha also.
"The upper air cyclonic circulation over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood persists and now extends upto 7.6 km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards with height. Under the influence of this system, a low pressure area is likely to form over northwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during next 48 hours," a bulletin of the Indian Meteorological Department said.
Meanwhile, rainfall has occurred at a few places over North Odisha and at one or two places over South Odisha.
The chief amount of rainfall recorded in centimeter are: Kujanga (Jagatsinghpur district)- 5, Dhamnagar (Bhadrak)- 3, Marsaghai (Kendrapara)- 3, Kaptipada (Mayurbhanj)- 3, Balasore- 3, Kakatpur (Puri)- 3, Bhograi (Balasore)- 3, Joshipur (Mayurbhanj)- 3, Jaleswar (Balasore)- 3, Nilgiri (Balasore)- 2, Rajkanika (Kendrapara)- 2, Pallahara (Angul)- 2, Hemgiri (Sundargarh)- 2 and Astaranga (Puri)- 2.