VIJAYAWADA : Southwest Monsoon has entered Andhra Pradesh. The onset of the monsoon this year is a couple of days before the usual June 4. The monsoon brought rain in several parts of Rayalaseema region on Sunday.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its Long Range Forecast (LRF) of the Southwest Monsoon has predicted it to be above normal in Andhra Pradesh, which elated farmers.
According to the IMD, conditions are favourable for further advance of the Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of the Central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Karnataka, Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra, some more parts of Westcentral and Northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 2-3 days.
Light to moderate rains were received in Chittoor, Konaseema, parts of Prakasam, Kakinada, Srikakulam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Nandyal and Palnadu districts till Sunday evening.
The highest rainfall of 5.37 cm was received in Anaparthi of East Godavari, followed by 4.77 cm in Mummidivaram of Konaseema, 3.3 cm in Punganur of Chittoor, 2.32 cm in Gandapalli of Kakinada and 2.2 cm in Anantagiri of ASR district.
The IMD forecast a thunderstorm accompanied by lightning at isolated places over Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, besides gusty winds of 30-40 kmph across the State during the next four days.
In 2023, the Southwest Monsoon was delayed, and the State received 13% less rainfall. However, this season it may not be the case as the transition from El Nino to ENSO-neutral is imminent, and La Nina may develop in June-August or July-September.