Visakhapatnam: The AP centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday announced that maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be normal to below normal during May over the state and Yanam.
In an official release, IMD-AP director S. Stella said that the IMD had released the monthly outlook for the temperature and rainfall during the May over the country including Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
“Normal to above rainfall is likely to occur over the state and Yanam during May. The temperatures will also be not too high beyond the normal,” Stella added. There will be thunderstorm activity and rains associated with the thunders in the summer, she added.
On the other hand, the AP Disaster Management Agency cautioned that there will be hot weather conditions at 553 and warmer weather conditions at 114 mandals out of the total 670 in 26 districts on May 1. The people have been asked not to venture out in the open between 11 am and 3 pm.
Meanwhile, the IMD reported that northwest and central India recorded the highest average maximum temperatures in April since 1900 and there would be no respite for the region in May.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said most parts of the country, barring parts of southern peninsular India, were likely to experience warmer nights in May. He did not rule out parts of western Rajasthan reporting temperatures more than 50ºC
According to Mohapatra, average temperatures observed pan-India for April was 35.05º, which was the fourth highest since 1900, when the weather office started keeping weather data. The high temperatures in March and April were attributed to “continuously scanty rainfall activity”, he said.
With scanty rains owing to feeble western disturbances, northwest and central India experienced the hottest April in 122 years with average maximum temperature touching 35.9ºC and 37.78ºC respectively.
Parts of northwest and northeast India as well as the extreme southeast peninsula are expected to get below normal rainfall in May, Mohapatra said. “I cannot make that forecast, but it is climatologically possible as May is the hottest month,” Mohapatra said to questions on whether temperatures would top 50 degrees Celsius this summer season.
