Three-day wet spell reduces rainfall deficit to 51.7% in Andhra Pradesh

Commuters walk through waterlogged streets on Sunday following heavy rains in Visakhapatnam. | Photo credit: V. Raju

In a positive development, three days of rains triggered by a low pressure system reduced the total rainfall deficit in Andhra Pradesh from 54.7% earlier this week to 51.7% as of Sunday (September 13).

Commuters walk through waterlogged streets on Sunday following heavy rains in Visakhapatnam. | Photo credit: V. Raju

However, the rainfall was not enough to offset the prolonged drought during the first three months of the southwest monsoon. Several districts continue to record major deficits despite heavy to very heavy rainfall in the last two days.

Between September 1 and 13, West Godavari received 128.2 mm of rainfall against the normal of 71.9 mm, while Dr. BR Ambedkar Konaseema fell 123.3 mm against 75.8 mm. Guntur also recorded above normal rainfall during the first two weeks of September. Yet these three districts have total rainfall deficits of 42.2%, 41.4% and 32%, respectively.

The steepest shortfalls are in Rayalaseema, where there has been little rain activity this month. Annamayya has the highest deficiency at 78.8%, followed by Sri Sathya Sai at 65.1%, Prakasam at 65% and Chittoor at 64.4%. The remaining 24 districts experienced deficient rainfall.

According to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, 37.7 mm of rain fell this month until Sunday, compared to the normal 62.6 mm. A substantial part of the rainfall was recorded in the last two days. Between June 1 and September 13, the state received 235.3 mm against the normal of 486.9 mm.

Weather experts see the possibility of another weather system forming over the Bay of Bengal later this month. However, the question remains whether such a system would bring significant rainfall to Andhra Pradesh.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the low pressure area that was over the region on Saturday remained over southwest Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining northern city of Vidarbha at 8:30 am on Sunday. It is likely to move west-northwest over southeast Rajasthan and adjoining north Gujarat during the next 24 hours.

The IMD has issued a thunderstorm and strong wind warning for Andhra Pradesh for Monday and Tuesday. Light to moderate rainfall is likely at isolated places in Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Polavaram, Kakinada, NTR, Guntur, Palnadu, Markapuram, Nandyal, Kadapa, Annamayya, Chittoor and Tirupati districts on Monday.

Undrajavaram in East Godavari recorded the highest rainfall of 41.17 mm on Sunday. Several places in Anakapalli, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts received 15 mm to 30 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 8 pm on Sunday.

Published – 13 Sep 2026 20:58 IST