Low pressure likely over Bay, rains for AP till September 14

VISAKHAPATNAM: A low-pressure area is likely to be formed over the west-central Bay of Bengal that might bring rains to Andhra Pradesh, ending a prolonged dry spell. The state had a 54 per cent deficit in rainfall for August.

An IMD report on Thursday said a cyclonic circulation lay over the west-central Bay of Bengal, off the Andhra Pradesh coast, at 0.9km above mean sea level. It was likely to form over Northwest Bay of Bengal and the neighbourhood around Sept 4.

The trough from south interior Karnataka to the Comorin area across interior Tamil Nadu at 0.9km above mean sea level has become less marked.

The cyclonic circulation over south interior Karnataka and its neighbourhood between 1.5 & 4.5km above mean sea level has become less marked.

Maximum temperatures are likely to be above normal by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius over north-coastal and south-coastal AP, Yanam and Rayalaseema.

IMD Director Stella S said that under the influence of the low pressure, the state would receive rains from Sept 4 to 14 with more rainfall likely over north coastal Andhra.

“This will not only bring down the temperature but make up for the deficit rainfall,’’ Stella said.

The state received only 67mm of rainfall in August against the normal of 144.3mm.

Only the Parvathipuram Manyam district received 3 per cent above normal rainfall. Chittoor, Tirupati and East Godavari also received normal fall in August. The other districts recorded deficient rainfall. Anantapur registered the highest deficient rainfall at 85 per cent followed by Prakasam at 78 per cent and Sri Sathya Sai district at 76 per cent, she said.