Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a nowcast warning for Bhubaneswar till around 6 pm on Thursday. An orange warning of moderate thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and rain has also been issued for Anugulo, Kataka, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Kendujhar districts till 6.25 pm. Heavy rain along with thunderstorm and lightning started at around 11 pm on Wednesday, intensified by midnight and continued all through the night. The intense weather activity is being attributed to a cyclonic circulation, which persists over North Odisha & adjoining Gangetic West Bengal now lies over Northwest Bay of Bengal & adjoining north Odisha-Gangetic West Bengal coasts, and a monsoon trough passing through Firozpur, Rohtak, Shahjahanpur, Kanpur, Daltonganj, Digha, and extending east-southeastwards toward the Northeast Bay of Bengal. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain across the state till August 12.