Showers Cool Vizag, Heatwaves Grip Rest of Andhra Pradesh
Low-Pressure Area Likely in Bay of Bengal
Visakhapatnam: Thundershowers lashed Visakhapatnam city and its surroundings on Sunday afternoon, briefly bringing down temperatures. However, other parts of the state continued to experience soaring mercury levels, with temperatures rising by 4 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal.
Several low-lying areas in Visakhapatnam were inundated with stormwater, and in some places, water overflowed onto main roads. In KRM Colony under Ward No. 16, two motorcycles were reportedly washed away in the sudden downpour.
Officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the city received 5.9 cm of rainfall in just a few minutes.
Meanwhile, the heat persisted across the rest of Andhra Pradesh. On Sunday, Jangamaheswarapuram recorded a temperature of 40.2°C, with a departure of 5.3 degrees above normal. Narasapur recorded 39.4°C (7.6° above normal), Gannavaram 38.8°C (5.2° above normal), and Visakhapatnam 35.7°C (4.2° above normal). Relative humidity in Visakhapatnam reached 100 per cent.
For the first time this July, parts of the state recorded temperatures around or above 40°C.
According to the IMD–Amaravati, an upper air cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining West Bengal and north Odisha coasts, now lies over the north Bay of Bengal and extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level, tilting southwestwards with height. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha on Monday.
The IMD has forecast thunderstorms accompanied by lightning at isolated places across north coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, south coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP), and Rayalaseema till July 17. Strong surface winds with speeds of 40–50 kmph are also likely in isolated areas of these regions.
Hot and humid conditions are expected to prevail at isolated places across NCAP, Yanam, SCAP, and Rayalaseema during this period. The IMD has also predicted heavy rainfall at isolated locations in SCAP and Rayalaseema on July 18 and 19.