NEW DELHI, November 1 (Aalimi Nation) – A depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to strengthen into a cyclone named Murasu, and forecasters say it could cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast early on Tuesday, November 3, bringing heavy to extremely heavy rain to a region still recovering from Cyclone Arnab.
The India Meteorological Department said the system is moving west-northwestward and is "very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours". If it does, it will be named Murasu. Forecast updates issued on Sunday said it could become a deep depression by noon and a cyclonic storm by midnight, then grow into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on Monday.
The system is expected to approach the south Andhra Pradesh coast by Monday evening and cross between Nellore and Narasapur on the morning of November 3. Winds of 100 to 110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, have been forecast at the time of crossing. Forecasters stressed that the exact point of landfall is uncertain, and that different weather models show different tracks and strengths.
The weather office has warned of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema over the next three days. A private weather forecaster expects significant to heavy rain across most of coastal Andhra Pradesh, with very heavy rain over the southern and central parts on November 2 and 3.
The State Disaster Management Authority has urged people to "remain alert and follow official advisories".
Beyond Andhra Pradesh, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar has said rainfall in Odisha is expected to increase from November 2, with southern districts likely to be affected most through strong winds and rain. Odisha's southern districts have already faced flooding in recent days.
Forecasters have said northern Tamil Nadu may receive moderate rain on November 2 and 3, including in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts, while Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu could see light to moderate showers. Gusty winds, thunderstorms and lightning are possible in some interior areas. Northern Tamil Nadu is expected to get less rain overall than coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Cyclone Arnab brought heavy rainfall and waterlogging to coastal Andhra Pradesh last week. Photographs from Machilipatnam on Wednesday, October 28, showed vehicles moving through flooded roads.
Several things remain unconfirmed. The depression has not yet been classified as a cyclone, so the name Murasu is conditional on its intensification. The strength at landfall, the exact timing and the districts that will see the heaviest rain could all change as the weather office issues further bulletins.
