Northeast monsoon likely to hit Andhra Pradesh on October 28

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Northeast monsoon is likely to make its onset in Andhra Pradesh on October 28 if the present favourable conditions continue till then, according to weathermen from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD, in its weather bulletin on Friday, said that conditions are becoming favourable for the northeast monsoon rainfall over Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well as adjoining areas of south Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Andhra University's meteorology department assistant professor CV Naidu said that the favourable conditions for the onset of the northeast monsoon include the formation of an upper air cyclonic circulation over south Andaman sea and its surroundings extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea-level, and another upper air cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lankan coast extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea-level. Most importantly, a fresh low pressure area will also form over the southwest Bay of Bengal and its surroundings around October 26.
Friday's numerical weather prediction (NWP) charts prepared by the IMD also indicate that the low pressure may transform into a deep depression before making landfall between south AP and Tamil Nadu around October 30.
"All these weather conditions predicted by IMD can be considered favourable for bestowing a good amount of northeast monsoon rains over south India," CV Naidu told TOI.
He said the northeast monsoon is nothing but the cold dry winds travelling from the northeast direction of the country picking up some moisture from the Bay of Bengal. The rains pour this moisture over south India and parts of Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu, which gets less rain from the southwest monsoon, receives nearly 50-60% of its annual rainfall quota under the influence of the northeast monsoon followed by south AP and Rayalaseema, which get around 20-25% of their annual rainfall.
Prof SSS Ramakrishna from the AU meteorology department said the normal onset of the northeast monsoon is around October 15, but this time it has been delayed and is expected to arrive by the end of October. "The northeast monsoon is currently in the transition stage. The northeast monsoon's withdrawal will also be delayed this time because of the delayed onset. The withdrawal will be around the first week of January as against the normal in the end of December," Ramakrishna added.