Andhra Pradesh receives first monsoon showers

VIJAYAWADA:  Finally, the Southwest Monsoon entered the State on Monday. According to the IMD, the monsoon has advanced into some parts of Rayalaseema and conditions are favourable for its further advancement into the State.

With the impact of the onset of monsoon, the daytime temperature declined considerably. Several parts of the State received heavy rain. The highest rainfall of 86 mm was recorded at Vepada in Vizianagaram district.

IMD Amaravati Director S Stella announced the advancement of monsoon into some parts of Rayalaseema. Conditions are favourable for further advancement of the monsoon into more parts of Rayalaseema in the next 48 hours. Thereafter, in the subsequent two days, the monsoon will advance into other parts of the State, she said.

With the onset of monsoon, heavy rainfall occurred at one or two places in Coastal Andhra, while light to moderate rainfall was reported at a few places in Rayalaseema. While parts of the State, including Vijayawada, Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra districts witnessed a drop in the daytime temperature, Visakhapatnam reeled under hot and dry weather on Monday.

"Visakhapatnam city is the hottest place in South India today with 42.1 degrees Celsius at 2.30 pm. Now, at Vizag Steel Plant, which means Gajuwaka - Duvvada and Pedagantyada side people might be feeling 50 degrees Celsius real feel heat," Andhra Pradesh Weatherman tweeted on Monday afternoon.

The MeT department has predicted more rains in some parts of the State in the next four days. Thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, are likely at isolated places in South and North Coastal Andhra and also in Rayalaseema region, it stated.

HEATWAVE LIKELY TO PREVAIL IN NEXT 2 DAYS

Heatwave is likely to prevail at some places in the next two days. While the heatwave prevailed in 51 mandals on Monday, the number is likely to come down to 11 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the mandals which experience the heatwave may increase to 26