Visakhapatnam: A severe heatwave continued to grip Andhra Pradesh on Thursday (May 21), with at least 17 places recording temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe heatwave alert for coastal Andhra Pradesh (CAP) for the next four to five days.
Hottest Places in Andhra Pradesh
Bapatla in south coastal Andhra Pradesh emerged as the hottest place at 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Jangamaheswarapuram in Palnadu at 46 degrees Celsius, Kavali at 45.8 degrees Celsius, Amaravati at 45.7 degrees Celsius, Gannavaram at 45.2 degrees Celsius, Nandigama at 44.7 degrees Celsius, Ongole at 44.6 degrees Celsius, and Nellore at 44.1 degrees Celsius. Most other areas in CAP and Rayalaseema recorded temperatures between 40 and 43 degrees Celsius, which is about two to three degrees above normal.
Severe Heatwave Conditions Reported
According to IMD-Amaravati, Bapatla, Jangamaheswarapuram, Kavali, Narsapur, Gannavaram, and Amaravati experienced severe heatwave conditions. The intense heat has thinned traffic across urban and rural areas during afternoon hours. In cities, residents are also facing the urban heat island effect, where dense construction and concrete infrastructure trap heat, making conditions harsher than in rural areas.
IMD Forecast for Next Four to Five Days
The IMD forecast severe heatwave conditions at isolated places in East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, NTR, Krishna, Palnadu, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, and Nellore districts from May 22 to 25. Heatwave conditions are also likely in Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalle, and Kakinada during the same period.
Maximum temperatures in Rayalaseema are expected to range between 41 and 44 degrees Celsius over the next five days. The weather agency also predicted thunderstorms with lightning at isolated places in CAP and Rayalaseema. Gusty winds of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour are likely in parts of CAP, Yanam, and Rayalaseema over the next two to three days.
Locals reported thunderstorms in parts of Alluri Sitharama Raju, Vizianagaram, Manyam, and some Rayalaseema districts on Thursday evening.
