The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) regional centre here today issued thunderstorm warning for 16 districts of Odisha on Thursday (February 28). The latest IMD bulletin said, An upper air trough runs from cyclonic circulation over east Rajasthan to north Chhattisgarh across north Madhya Pradesh extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level with embedded cyclonic circulation over southeast Uttar Pradesh and neighbourhood. Under its influence, light to moderate rain or thundershower likely to occur at a few places over the districts of north Odisha and at one or two places over the districts of south Odisha on Thursday. Similarly, thunderstorm with gusty wind and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Rayagada and Gajapati districts. Besides, hailstorm is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Dhenkanal and Cuttack on Thursday. Moreover, light rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of coastal Odisha and Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri and dry weather likely to prevail over the districts of rest Odisha on Friday (March 1). Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea in coastal Odisha and north-west Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours as strong surface wind speed reaching 25-35kmph gusting to 45 kmph is likely along and off Odisha coast and north-west Bay of Bengal areas during next 24 hours.