Heavy rain lashed the coastal districts of Odisha on Friday. (FILE)

The much awaited southwest monsoon finally hit Odisha on Friday and covered all the coastal districts, the Met office said. Heavy rain lashed the coastal districts of the state on Friday, it said.

"The southwest monsoon has hit Odisha coast today. The entire state will experience rainfall within the next 72- hours," said India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General designate Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, who is on a visit to Odisha.

He said the monsoon will first cover the southern parts of the state and spread to the rest of Odisha subsequently.

The districts which were lashed by monsoon rain on the first day were: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jatatsinghpur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh, a Met official said.

The monsoon also advanced into the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and parts of Nawarangpur, Kandahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Angul and Keonjhar.

"Conditions are becoming favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon into rest of Odisha during next 48 hours," the IMD said in a statement.

The southwest monsoon, which generally hits the Odisha coast around June 10, has been delayed by about 10-days this time.

Meanwhile, the low pressure area over northeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood lies over north Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal, it said adding associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level tilting southwestwards.

The IMD also warned that heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jagtsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Sundergarh and isolated heavy rainfall likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khurda, Ganjam and Puri.

This apart, the IMD said that thunderstorm with lightning is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj, Bargarh, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Ganjam.

The IMD also forecast rainfall in Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Deogarh, Nuapada, Sonepur, Bolangir, Nawarangpur, Boudh, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on Saturday.

In view of the low pressure area over north east Bay of Bengal, IMD predicted squally weather wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting up to 50 kmph over north Bay of Bengal.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea during next 48 hours, the IMD said.