Early in February, when mild winter weather is usually expected, Odisha is dealing with abnormally warm temperatures, with highs of over 36 degrees Celsius recorded in the first two days of the month.

Bolangir recorded the highest temperature of the year on Sunday, February 2, at 36.7 degrees Celsius. Titilagarh, Jharsuguda, and Bhubaneswar also experienced exceptionally high mercury levels, with temperatures of 36°C, 35.6°C, and 34.4°C, respectively.
The abrupt increase was ascribed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to heat-trapping southwesterly winds and clear skies. In addition, the conditions have gotten worse due to extended dry spells and the lack of winter moisture.

No major weather changes are anticipated for the next four to five days, and temperatures may continue to rise, according to the weather office, which also predicted that the prolonged heat would continue.
Fears of a harsher summer have been sparked by the unusually high temperatures, and people are preparing for more hot days with little chance of relief.

It is important to note that just two weeks ago, coldwave-like conditions continued to dominate Odisha's weather patterns, causing a significant change. Furthermore, the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar are among the many locations where the heavy fog that started in late January has persisted, hiding sunlight in the early morning hours.


With research indicating that climate change has increased the likelihood of abnormally high temperatures in parts of eastern and southern India by about 45 times, the unusual February heat in Odisha is part of a larger trend of climate change impacts on regional weather patterns.