Summer showers likely at isolated places in Andhra Pradesh from March 22, slight dip in mercury expected

Andhra Pradesh is set to experience summer showers from March 22-24, with slight temperature dip.
| Photo Credit: V RAJU

After three weeks of intense heat, people in Andhra Pradesh can finally expect some relief there is a likelihood of summer showers from March 22 to 24 at isolated places across North and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema in the State.

Many parts in the northern region of the State, especially the districts of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, have been experiencing ‘severe heatwaves’ continuously since the first week of March. The region of South Coastal A.P., too, has experienced ‘heatwaves’ in the past three weeks.

For the first time in two weeks, no ‘severe heatwave’ alert has been issued by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) for March 19 and 20. However, yellow alert remains.

Severe heatwaves (red alert) are declared when the actual maximum temperature surpasses 45°C or is above normal by 6.4°C and heatwaves (yellow alert) are declared when the actual maximum temperature surpasses 40°C or is above normal by 4.5°C to 6.4°C.

While the daytime temperatures in the Rayalaseema region, where mercury is touching 40°C to 43°C these days, too have recorded a deviation from the normal by 1°C-2°C, the deviation has been observed to be higher in the North and South Coastal A.P. in March.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)‘s bulltein of 12.30 p.m. on March 19, Wednesday, there is a rainfall prediction for all the three regions from March 22 to March 25 due to a weather phenomenon.

There is a trough running from the central parts of Odisha to south Vidarbha across south Chhattisgarh at 0.9 km above mean sea level. Also, another trough/wind discontinuity from Marathwada to above cyclonic circulation over south Tamil Nadu, across interior Karnataka at 0.9 km above mean sea level, persists, according to the IMD.

However, only a slight dip, of about 1°C to 2°C, is expected, which is also subject to change, say the experts. “The rainfall activity will be more in North and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh. We feel there will be a slight dip in maximum temperatures in the two regions. No large change in the temperatures of Rayalaseema is expected as of now,” said Senior Scientist, IMD-Amaravati, S. Karunasagar.

The IMD has also issued a note of caution as thunderstorms, accompanied with lightning and strong surface winds, are likely at isolated places in South and North Coastal A.P. on March 22 and 23.

On March 18, Devalapuram in Nandyala district recorded 42.7°C, followed by Ulindakonda in Kurnool district at 42.6°C, Kazipet in Kadapa district at 41.8°C, Darimadugu in Prakasam 41.5°C, Devarapalle in Anakapalli district recorded 39.9°C, Nandigama in NTR district 39.2°C, among others.