Cyclone Montha Forms in Bay of Bengal; Set to Intensify to Severe Cyclonic Storm Before Hitting Andhra Pradesh Coast
NEW DELHI: A tropical cyclone named ‘Montha’ has formed over the Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced. The deep depression over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Montha’.
The cyclone is expected to move in a north-west direction and is very likely to further intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by the morning of October 28. The IMD predicts that Cyclone Montha will make landfall near Kakinada between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam on the Andhra Pradesh coast by the evening or night of October 28, crossing the coast as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of up to 110 kmph.
Parallel Low-Pressure System in the Arabian Sea
Simultaneously, a separate weather system, a Deep Depression, continues to persist over the east-central Arabian Sea. This system is forecast to move in a north-easterly direction across the east-central Arabian Sea over the next 48 hours.
Rain Forecast Across South India
The influence of these systems is expected to bring widespread rain across South India:
- Kerala: Light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunder, is likely over the next five days. Isolated very heavy rainfall is possible on Monday, with isolated heavy rainfall expected on October 27 and 28.
- Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal: Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely. Isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast for October 28.
- Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Telangana, and Odisha have also been issued rain warnings by the IMD.
