Weather Update / Odisha's Secret Winter Wonderland Revealed, But Is It Really 'Snow'?
·4 months ago·2 min read
Key Points
- Kandhamal residents woke up to a rare, snowfall-like frost layer as temperatures dipped sharply in Sartaguda village near Phulbani.
- Dense fog and cold wave warnings have been issued for several districts as Odisha’s winter intensifies.
Phulbani, Dec 12: Freezing temperatures in Odisha’s Kandhamal district created a breathtaking, 'snowfall-like' scene on Friday morning, leaving residents awestruck as polythene sheets and rooftops shimmered white under a layer of frost.
The spectacle was reported from Sartaguda village, barely 2 km from Phulbani town, where locals found a heap of paddy covered with a polythene sheet glazed with a thin layer of 'ice'. Due to the sharp overnight drop in temperature, frost — not snow — formed when moisture froze directly on surfaces, giving the illusion of snowfall.
Residents gathered early in the morning to witness the rare phenomenon, with many describing it as “Odisha’s own snowfall,” even though actual snowfall is scientifically unlikely in the region.
Frost vs Snowfall: What’s the Difference?
• Frost forms when atmospheric moisture freezes directly on surfaces such as crops, vehicles or sheets, typically under clear skies and sub-zero ground temperatures.
• Snow, however, forms within clouds when ice crystals cluster and fall to the ground — a process impossible in Odisha’s low-altitude, warm atmospheric layers.
Why It Happened
Experts attributed the frost to intense radiational cooling, clear night skies, and cold, dry northerly winds pulling temperatures sharply down across Kandhamal.
IMD Weather Forecast
Till 8:30am of December 12
– Dry weather is likely across Odisha.
– Shallow to moderate fog in Koraput, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, and Bhadrak districts.
Yellow Warning
– Dense fog in Sundargarh, Koraput.
– Cold wave in Sundargarh, Angul, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal districts.
From December 12 to 13
– Dry weather is likely to continue.
– Fog chances in Koraput, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, and Bhadrak districts.
Yellow Warning
– Dense fog in Sundargarh, Koraput.
– Cold wave in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, and Angul districts.
Also Read: Woman Accuses Partner of Physical Exploitation, False Promise of Marriage
Locals say frost has appeared for two consecutive days, signalling that Kandhamal’s winter chill has arrived early — and with rare, icy beauty.
The spectacle was reported from Sartaguda village, barely 2 km from Phulbani town, where locals found a heap of paddy covered with a polythene sheet glazed with a thin layer of 'ice'. Due to the sharp overnight drop in temperature, frost — not snow — formed when moisture froze directly on surfaces, giving the illusion of snowfall.
Residents gathered early in the morning to witness the rare phenomenon, with many describing it as “Odisha’s own snowfall,” even though actual snowfall is scientifically unlikely in the region.
Frost vs Snowfall: What’s the Difference?
• Frost forms when atmospheric moisture freezes directly on surfaces such as crops, vehicles or sheets, typically under clear skies and sub-zero ground temperatures.
• Snow, however, forms within clouds when ice crystals cluster and fall to the ground — a process impossible in Odisha’s low-altitude, warm atmospheric layers.
Why It Happened
Experts attributed the frost to intense radiational cooling, clear night skies, and cold, dry northerly winds pulling temperatures sharply down across Kandhamal.
IMD Weather Forecast
Till 8:30am of December 12
– Dry weather is likely across Odisha.
– Shallow to moderate fog in Koraput, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, and Bhadrak districts.
Yellow Warning
– Dense fog in Sundargarh, Koraput.
– Cold wave in Sundargarh, Angul, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal districts.
From December 12 to 13
– Dry weather is likely to continue.
– Fog chances in Koraput, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, and Bhadrak districts.
Yellow Warning
– Dense fog in Sundargarh, Koraput.
– Cold wave in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, and Angul districts.
Also Read: Woman Accuses Partner of Physical Exploitation, False Promise of Marriage
Locals say frost has appeared for two consecutive days, signalling that Kandhamal’s winter chill has arrived early — and with rare, icy beauty.
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