Andhra Pradesh witnessed 54% deficient rainfall in August this year owing to a highly unfavourable monsoon trough.
According to the India Meteorological Department, Amaravati, the State received only 67 mm of rainfall throughout the month against 144.3 mm of normal rainfall. All the districts, except for a few, received deficient or large deficient rainfall.
East Godavari, Parvathipuram-Manyam, Chittoor and Tirupati districts received normal rainfall while Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Bapatla, Guntur, Krishna, SPSR Nellore, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari, and YSR Kadapa received deficient rainfall as the actual and normal rainfall varied by 30 to 59%.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, Kakinada, NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Anantapur, Annamayya, Kurnool, Nandyal and Sri Satya Sai districts witnessed large deficient rainfall with over 60% deficiency.
Meanwhile, during the three months of the monsoon since June 1, the State registered a 25% deficiency in rainfall. While the normal rainfall is 369.5 mm during June, July and August, the State received only 277.7 mm of rainfall for the period.
All the districts, except Alluri Sitarama Raju, Guntur, Krishna, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, received deficient rainfall during the monsoon so far.
IMD, A.P. chief S. Stella said the monsoon trough was highly unfavourable as it is mostly north of the normal position. She said a break in monsoon between August 17 and August 26, El Nino conditions over the Pacific Ocean, and fewer low-pressure systems formed over the State were reasons for the deficient rainfall.
No respite from heat
The state continues to register abnormal maximum temperatures.
On Friday, 39.0 degrees Celsius, the highest maximum temperature in the State, was recorded at Jangamaheswar Puram of Palandu district. It was 5.2 degrees higher than the normal maximum temperature. The maximum temperatures recorded at many other places were three to five degrees higher than normal.
The following stations recorded 36.0 degrees Celsius or more maximum temperatures: Kadapa (38.4), Ongole (38.4), Kavali (38.3), Anantapur (38.2)
Kurnool (37.6), Tuni (37.5), Tirupati (37.4), Nellore (37.2), Gannavaram-Vijayawada (37.2), Nandigama (37.0), Visakhapatnam Airport (37.0), Machilipatnam (36.6), Kakinada (36.0), Bapatla (36.0) and Nandyal (36.0).
The state may likely witness thunderstorms accompanied with lightning at isolated on Saturday and heavy rains are likely for three days from September 3 to 5, as per IMD’s forecast.
