IMD warns of above-normal heatwave days in parts of AP in May

Visakhapatnam: Above-normal heatwave days are likely in some parts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh and north coastal Andhra Pradesh in May, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly forecast. The number of heatwave days is likely to exceed the norm by 1 to 4 days, whereas normal heatwave days can range from 3 to 5 days across different meteorological divisions. Though Andhra Pradesh has not recorded any heatwave days in April 2026, parts of the state experienced hot, humid and most discomfort weather conditions for more than a week in coastal as well as Rayalaseema districts in the state.The department also highlighted that the rainfall averaged over Andhra Pradesh as a whole during May is most likely to be above normal, with the onset of the southwest monsoon over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands expected around May 14-16. Parts of the Tirupati, Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, Palnadu, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts in the state may experience above-normal heatwave days in May, and few parts of the NTR and Krishna districts will experience normal heatwave days.The daytime temperatures will be above normal in parts of the Rayalaseema region and some parts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh in the state in May; however, the daytime temperatures will be relatively normal to below in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh. The weather agency forecast that parts of the coastal region in the state are expected to experience above-normal pre-monsoon showers in May.Warmer nights in many partsThe weathermen said that warmer nights are expected in many parts of the state in May due to cloudy weather, which is associated with above-normal rainfall predictions. The above-normal rainfall causes cloudy weather at night, which traps heat and makes the nights warmer. The IMD mentioned that the increasing number of heatwave days in some parts of the state is attributed to the transition from neutral El Nino conditions to positive conditions during the monsoon, which is concerning for Indian agriculture that largely depends on rainfall. El Nino refers to the warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, which is commonly associated with poorer monsoon seasons in India.