Southwest monsoon sets in over Andhra nine days early

Amaravati, May 26 (PTI) The southwest monsoon set in over Andhra Pradesh on Monday, nine days earlier than its normal onset date of June 4, an official said, adding that it has advanced up to Kavali and is expected to cover the remaining parts of the state within the next three days.

The weather system typically begins from the Rayalaseema region in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh and gradually progresses across the state, the official further said.

This year marks the earliest monsoon arrival in the past six years. In comparison, it had arrived on June 2 in 2024, June 11 in 2023, June 13 in 2022, June 4 (on schedule) in 2021, June 7 in 2020, and June 20 in 2019.

Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) also confirmed the monsoon’s entry into the Rayalaseema region.

The authority noted that conditions are conducive for further advancement of the weather system into other parts of Andhra Pradesh.

“The southwest monsoon has entered the Rayalaseema region, and conditions are favourable for its expansion into other parts of the state,” said a statement from APSDMA.

According to the regional weather office, the southwest monsoon has also advanced into additional parts of the central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, along with sections of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Likewise, it has moved into more parts of the west-central and north Bay of Bengal, the rest of Mizoram, and the entire states of Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of Assam and Meghalaya as of Monday.

“A low-pressure area is likely to form over the west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around May 27,” said a press release from the meteorological centre.

The upper air trough now extends from the cyclonic circulation associated with the low-pressure area over Marathwada and adjoining regions to north coastal Andhra Pradesh, across north Telangana, south Chhattisgarh, and south Odisha.

It lies between 3.1 and 5.8 km above mean sea level and tilts southward with height, the release added.

Vijayawada witnessed rainfall on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, while cloudy conditions prevailed across the city and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the early arrival of the monsoon, calling it an "auspicious development".

"The Met department’s forecast of widespread rains in the coming days should be fulfilled, benefiting the farmers and the state," Naidu said in a post on 'X'. PTI STH SSK