Cyclone Montha
VISAKHAPATNAM: Many parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh (CAP) and Rayalaseema regions in Andhra Pradesh will have to brace for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall next week (from October 27) as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that a cyclone likely to form in the Bay of Bengal is approaching its coast. The cyclonic storm will be identified as Cyclone “Montha”, named by Thailand. This will be the second cyclone to develop in October this year, after Cyclone Shakthi that had developed off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea. The system is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph. The disaster management teams in Andhra Pradesh are on high alert due to the formation of cyclone which is forecast to bring extreme rainfall to the state from October 27.The depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards and lay centred over the same region about 460 km west-southwest of Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), 950 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 960 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 970 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) and 1030 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha). The system is likely to move nearly west-northwestwards, intensify into a deep depression by Sunday (Oct 26) and into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal by Monday (Oct 27). Thereafter it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday (Oct 28) morning. Continuing to move north-northwestwards, it is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada on Tuesday evening.The Bay of Bengal has historically produced some of the most intense cyclones in the month of October, including the 1999 Super Cyclone that devastated Odisha, extremely severe Cyclone Hudhud in 2014 that devasted Vizag city and surrounding areas, and Severe Cyclone Dana in October 2024. S Karunasagar, scientist at IMD-Amaravati said some areas across the districts of Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya, and Tirupati districts are expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall on Monday, October 27. Meanwhile, regions in Konaseema, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Palnadu, Nandyal, and Chittoor districts are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall. The weather agency predicts that parts of ASR, Anakapalle, Kakinada, East Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Kurnool, Anantapur, and Sri Sathya Sai districts will see heavy rainfall on Monday.On October 28 (Tuesday), Kakinada, East Godavari, Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, NTR, Palnadu, Bapatla, Prakasam and YSR Kadapa districts will experience extremely heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Visakhapatnam, ASR, Anakapalle, Nellore, Tirupati and Nandyal districts will witness heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday.On October 29 (Wednesday), parts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, ASR, Anakapalle, Visakhapatnam, Konaseema, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR and Guntur districts will record extremely heavy rainfall. Parts of the Bapatla and Palnadu will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on Wednesday. Squally weather with wind speed 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph likely to prevail along and off Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam on Oct 26.On Oct 27, gale wind with speed reaching 60-70 Kmph gusting to 80 Kmph from Oct 28 morning, becoming 90-100 Kmph gusting to 110kmph from Oct 28 evening early hours of Oct 29 likely to prevail along and Off Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam. On Oct 28, gale wind with speed reaching 90-100 kmph gusting to 110kmph and becoming 60- 70kmph gusting to 80 kmph by Oct 29 noon. The winds would further decrease becoming 45-55 kmph gusting 65 kmph by Oct 29 evening and decrease gradually thereafter, likely to prevail along and off Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam. Go to Source
