Andhra Pradesh monsoon rainfall remained significantly below normal this season, with the State recording rain on only 46 of the 122 days of the Southwest Monsoon. Weather experts say districts usually experience between 75 and 90 rainy days during the season. Data compiled by the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority showed that only one day qualified as a “very heavy rain” day. It was recorded in Visakhapatnam district. The State also experienced 20 heavy rain days, most of them concentrated in northern Andhra Pradesh.

Rainfall distribution varied sharply across regions. Northern and central districts recorded between 40 and 54 rainy days, while Rayalaseema districts received rain on only 11 to 30 days. Annamayya recorded just 11 rainy days, followed by Sri Sathya Sai with 17 and Anantapur with 20.Polavaram and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts recorded the highest frequency at 54 rainy days each. Vizianagaram received 48 rainy days, while Parvathipuram Manyam and NTR districts recorded 46 each.

Andhra Pradesh Faces Sharp Monsoon Rainfall Shortfall

Andhra Pradesh recorded a 35.4% rainfall deficit as the monsoon season ended on September 30. All eight Rayalaseema districts, along with SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Markapuram, Bapatla, Palnadu and Guntur, saw no heavy rain days during the season. Between June 1 and October 1, Annamayya recorded a 62.6% rainfall deficit, while Prakasam reported a 60.4% shortfall.

The uneven distribution is important because a rainy day does not mean rainfall occurred throughout a district. Experts explained that rainfall exceeding 2.5 mm in even one mandal can contribute to the district’s rainy-day count.The IMD has forecast below-normal rainfall for Andhra Pradesh during October, along with higher maximum and minimum temperatures, keeping attention on water availability and agricultural conditions.