VIJAYAWADA: The onset of the North-East Monsoon in Andhra Pradesh, which is normally on October 20, is expected on October 26. The State, which witnessed a normal rainfall with a couple of spells of heavy rains till September, has received 38 per cent deficit rainfall to date in October. Against the normal rainfall of 143.5 mm in October to date, the actual rainfall was 88.9 mm.
Among the 13 districts in the state in the first 24 days of October, two districts received excess rains, one district normal rains and the other 10 districts received deficit rains. Chittoor district has received a surplus rainfall of 43.5 per cent. As against 115.5 mm normal rainfall, the actual rainfall in the district was 165.8 mm.
Anantapur district, which has received good rainfall during the south west monsoon, has received excess rainfall in the first 24 days of October. It received 117.6 mm rainfall as against the normal rainfall of 91.9 mm during the said period. Kadapa district received 1.2 per cent less rainfall than normal, but it is considered as normal rainfall (-20 to + 20 difference than normal).
Guntur district has received 67.9 per cent deficit rainfall, followed by Prakasam with 62.7 per cent deficit rainfall, Krishna with 6o.5 per cent deficit rainfall and West Godavari district 59.3 per cent deficit rainfall. IMD Amaravati director S Stella said the situation might change in the next one week and if there is a good rainfall by the end of the month deficiency of rains for the month might get reduced.
She said the north-east monsoon, which is likely to onset in the state on August 26, is expected to be normal this year. Under the influence of north-east Monsoon, two districts — Nellore and Chittoor — get maximum rains, while parts of Kadapa and Prakasam district too would receive rains, if there is any system formation in the Bay of Bengal.
When pointed out at the short spells of heavy downpour that lashed Chittoor and Anantapur for the past one week, Stella attributed it to the cyclonic circulation over Rayalaseema and Telangana region and resulting East West Shear Zone.
“October is the transition phase between South West Monsoon and North East Monsoon and the moisture content form both the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea could be one of the reasons for the short spells of heavy rains experienced for the past few days in Chittoor and Anantapur districts,” she explained.
Groundwater table
According to the data available with the Groundwater department, South West Monsoon has improved the groundwater situation in the state. In September this year, the last of the four months of south-west monsoon, the average depth of groundwater was 7.46 meter below ground level (MBGL) compared to 9.52 MBGL in September last year.
The Rayalaseema region has an average ground-water level at 7.68 MBGL compared to 12.06 MBGL last September, an improvement of 4.38 MBGL. In Coastal Andhra, it is 7.36 MBGL compared to 8.40 MBGL last September, an improvement of 1.04 MBGL.
October rains in State
143.5 mm
Normal rainfall
88.9 mm
Actual rainfall so far
Groundwater
7.46 meters below ground level
9.52 MBGL the average ground water level in State in September last