Ongoing weather systems brought much-needed relief to large parts of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday (May 27), after the State reeled under relentless temperatures above 45°C for nearly a week.

For the first time in over a week, the maximum temperature in the State remained below 44°C. The highest temperature on the day was 41.8°C, recorded at Salur in Parvathipuram Manyam district. From May 18 onwards, Andhra Pradesh had consistently recorded maximum temperatures above 44°C.

The highest temperatures recorded over the past week were 44.3°C on May 18, 45.6°C on May 19, 47.6°C on May 20, 48.1°C on May 21, 44.8°C on May 22, 45.8°C on May 23, 48.3°C on May 24, 48.1°C on May 25, and 47.7°C on May 26.

On Wednesday, except in Srikakulam district and Parvathipuram Manyam district, the rest of the State did not experience heatwave or severe heatwave conditions. In Srikakulam district, two mandals recorded severe heatwave conditions and 11 others reported heatwave conditions. In Parvathipuram Manyam district, one mandal recorded severe heatwave conditions while two others experienced heatwave conditions.

However, the respite is expected to be temporary. The India Meteorological Department(IMD) and the A.P. State Disaster Management Authority(APSDMA) have cautioned that severe heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in more than 100 mandals across Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Polavaram, Kakinada, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR and Guntur districts on Thursday. Similar conditions are likely to continue on Friday as well.

According to the IMD, there is unlikely to be any significant change in maximum temperatures over the next three days, after which temperatures may gradually fall by 2°C to 3°C.

Meanwhile, isolated thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds are likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on Thursday and Friday, the IMD said. The weather activity is being influenced by a trough extending from north Bihar to south Telangana across Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, along with an upper air cyclonic circulation persisting over the north Tamil Nadu coast and adjoining areas. Another upper air cyclonic circulation persists over the east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal.