Heavy rain likely in Rayalaseema until August 10, says IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amaravati, has issued a heavy rainfall forecast for Rayalaseema for the next four days until August 10, while light to moderate rain is likely in the North and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh regions during the period.

Thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds, with a speed of 30-50 kmph, are also likely across the State. All the eight districts of Rayalaseema, along with the districts of NTR, Krishna, Prakasam and Nellore, are expected to receive “fairly widespread rain” in the next four days.

Explaining the factors influencing the weather, the IMD, in its daily bulletin, said there were two upper air cyclonic circulations, one over the southwest Bay of Bengal and another over Rayalaseema and neighbourhood at 1.5 km above mean sea level. There was another upper air cyclonic circulation over north Kerala and neighbourhood.

While there was a heavy rainfall forecast for the State on August 6, Wednesday, as well, there was not much rainfall activity.

As per realtime data available on the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), between 8.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the highest of 50 mm rainfall was recorded at Gamparai station of Alluri Sitharama Raju district. Other places in Rayalaseema received light to moderate rainfall.

Due to the week-long spell of heavy rain in parts of the State in the second last week of August, the deficit percentage in a few districts, including NTR, Eluru, Guntur, Krishna, Vizianagaram, among others, had been covered. However, there were still 14 districts where the rainfall, as part of the southwest monsoon, had been deficient so far. The overall deficit percentage in the State stood at 25.4%.

The deficit might be covered during August and September, the intensive rainfall months of Andhra Pradesh. Usually, it is during these two months that the State receives the maximum rainfall as part of the southwest monsoon.

The IMD predicted an above-normal rainfall for most of the State in August and September, except for a few pockets in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh that might experience normal or below-normal rainfall. The maximum and minimum temperatures, too, were likely to remain normal to above normal in the State.