IMD forecasts heavy rain, thunderstorms in Andhra Pradesh till Aug 30

The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday forecast thunderstorms and heavy rains in parts of Andhra Pradesh from August 26 to 30 as a low-pressure area persists over the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast.

The Met department also predicted heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP) and Yanam on Tuesday.

"Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places likely over NCAP and Yanam. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning are likely over NCAP and Yanam, SCAP (South Coastal Andhra Pradesh) and Rayalaseema," said an official release.

The Met department predicted strong winds with speeds up to 50 km per hour (kmph) at isolated places over NCAP, Yanam and SCAP on Tuesday and similar windy conditions at isolated places across the state with speeds up to 40 kmph until August 30.

A red alert has been issued at a few places over Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Srikakulam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Kakinada, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema and East Godavari districts and Yanam on Tuesday afternoon.

A 'red alert' indicates "heavy to extremely heavy" rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours.

The Met department has predicted heavy rain in parts of NCAP and Yanam for two consecutive days from August 27, along with thunderstorms accompanied by lightning at isolated places across the state and this weather pattern extending up to August 30.

The low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast persisted at 8.30 am today with the associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southwestwards with height. It is likely to move west to northwestwards and become more marked during the next two days, it said.