Countdown for monsoon begins in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: The southwest monsoon is likely to set in over the southern parts of Andhra Pradesh in a day or two, said India Meteorological Department (IMD).The Monsoon onset in Andhra Pradesh has been delayed due to unfavourable conditions. On Saturday, severe heatwave conditions prevailed in seven mandals and heatwave in 43 mandals of the State.  

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) said four mandals in YSR Kadapa and one mandal each in Anakapalle, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts reported severe heatwave conditions. 

It said seven mandals in East Godavari, six andals in West Godavari, five  mandals in Konaseema, four mandal in Kakinada , three mandals each in Alluri Sitarama Raju, anakapalli, eluru, YSR, two mandals in Krishna, one mandal each in Guntur, NTR, Palandu, Praksam, Sri Sathya Sai, Tirupati and Visakhapatnam reported heatwave conditions. 

Kanumolde village in Bapulapadu mandal of Krishna district recorded the highest daytime temperature of 43.6°C  during the 24 hours that ended on Saturday 8:30 a.m.  Rainfall occurred at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Dry weather prevailed over Rayalaseema. 

Maximum temperatures were appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at a few places in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at many places in Rayalaseema and at one or two places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and below normal (-1.6°C to -3.0°C) at one or two places in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and normal (-1.5°C to 1.5°C) at a few places in Coastal AP and Rayalaseema. The IMD warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning/gusty winds (speed up to 30-40 kmph) at isolated places in North and South Coastal Andhra.