Heatwave conditions prevail over parts of Andhra, mercury crosses 40 degrees

Vizag city on Wednesday recorded a maximum of 41.4 degree Celsius temperature, which was 8.2 degree Celsius above normal. Vizagites, who have experienced rains and cloudy weather on account of Cyclone Yass till May 25, witnessed humid and hot weather conditions on Wednesday.

IMD, Andhra Pradesh said that the mercury touched above 40 degrees Celsius at ten places across the state on Wednesday. Amaravati recorded the highest temperature of 42.2 degree Celsius, followed by Nandigama (42.1), Bapatla (42), Visakhapatnam (41.4), Vijayawada (41.4), Masulipatnam (41.2), Jangamaheswarapuram (41), Kakinada (40.9), Kavali (40.8) and Narsapur (40.2).

IMD predicted that the humidity levels oscillate between 25 and 70 percent and the maximum temperature is expected to hover above 40 degrees Celsius in some more days in the state.

Officials at the cyclone warning center, Visakhapatnam, said that the highest temperature of 45.4 degrees Celsius was recorded on June 9, 1995, in Vizag city. In the summer of 2014, the recorded highest temperature was 42.6 degree Celsius on May 23. Officials said for the past three years the maximum temperature of the seasons has been registering between May 23 and May 26.

Experts said monsoon may arrive in Kerala a day in advance, as predicted by IMD. The cyclone Yaas helped pull the monsoon current head in the Arabian Sea. There was heavy to very heavy rain reported in many parts of Kerala in the past few hours. Monsoon is likely to arrive on schedule. "But we still have a few days, so we can't say anything immediately. Let's watch how conditions become favorable for its onset," IMD officials said.

Cyclone Yaas made landfall about 25 to 30 km south of Balasore in Odisha on Wednesday packing winds of 130 to 140 kmph gusting to 155 kmph. Parts of Odisha reported extremely heavy rain on Wednesday.