Daytime temperatures hover above 40°C in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA : Mercury levels in the State continue to stay above the 40-degree Celsius mark in several places on Thursday. The weatherman predicted that severe heatwave conditions are likely to be recorded in one mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district and heatwave conditions are likely in 145 mandals across the State on Friday.

As per the real-time data with the planning department, at 4 pm on Thursday, as many as 320 places have reported daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. In as many as 14 places, mercury levels were over 44 degrees Celsius.

The highest daytime temperatures of 44.8 degrees Celsus was reported in Pamuru of Praksam district followed by Ibrahimpatnam in NTR district, and Narasaraopet in Palandu district at 44.7 degrees Celsius, Renigunta in Tirupati district at 44.6, Kodur in Krishna district at 44.5, Manubolu in Nellore district at 44.4, Kunavaram in ASR district at 44.3, and Tulluru in Guntur district at 44.1.

According to APSDMA, severe heatwave conditions were experienced in one mandal in each of the Parvathipuram-Manyam and Anakapalli districts, while 45 mandals across the State reported heatwave conditions. Vizianagaram district has the maximum number of mandals that reported heatwave conditions. A total of 14 mandals experienced a heatwave in this district.

Meanwhile, IMD forecasted that thunderstorms accompanied by lightning were likely at Isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema. Strong winds with speeds of 30-40 kmph are likely across the State on Friday and Saturday.

IMD said that the southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala and advanced into most parts of Northeast India on May 30.

Lower tropospheric westerly winds prevail over AP and the onset of the monsoon is expected in the first half of next week.