In contrast to the rainy weather in Mumbai, weather in South India has been more or less dry this week with subdued rain activity in all four states. And according to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Monsoon rain will continue to be little this week with less chances of a revival. In fact the weather is so dry in some parts of Andhra Pradesh that it has led to a heat wave condition in the thick of Monsoon season.
Barring one or two good spells in Mangalore and Kochi in the last 48 hours, rain has been below 10 mm in most cities of South India since the start of the week. Bangalore and Chennai which received some heavy showers from Saturday to Monday, also turned dry after Tuesday. Hyderabad has been completely dry for the last few days and Thiruvananthapuram has had only 11 mm of rain in the last one week.
Here's how the rainfall figures have looked in the last 24 hours: Thiruvananthapuram 0.2 mm, Kochi – traces of rain, Mangalore 2.2 mm, Honavar 2.2 mm, Karnwar 5.8 mm and Panaji 4 mm. Rain was nil in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kottayam and Alappuzha.
“We need not reiterate that Monsoon in India has been affected by El Nino this year and it has also gripped South India which earlier looked like being safe from the effect of a weak Monsoon”, says AVM (Retd) G.P Sharma.
Meanwhile, another very unusual feature is being observed in Andhra Pradesh. In the middle of the Monsoon season, a heat wave condition is prevailing in the state. In the absence of rain, maximum temperatures at many places including the coastal areas have been recording hovering around 40⁰C, which is 4 to 6 degrees Celsius above normal.
On Wednesday, the day temperature recorded 41.1⁰C at Machilipatnam. Ongole was 41⁰C and Ramagundum, Hanamkonda and Vijaywada recorded 40⁰C.
“Such high temperatures are likely to sustain or may drop only marginally due to lack of rain in Andhra Pradesh despite a westerly flow of winds. High humidity may further add to the discomfort. This week the weather in South India on a whole will not be too rainy”, added G.P Sharma.
