Cyclone Montha Likely to Intensify into Severe Storm, Expected to Hit Andhra Coast on October 28

A developing weather system over the Bay of Bengal, named Cyclone Montha, is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm as it moves toward the Andhra Pradesh coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Landfall expected near Kakinada

The IMD said the system is likely to make landfall near Kakinada between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam on the evening or night of October 28, packing winds of 90–100 kmph, with gusts up to 110 kmph.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal as the cyclone nears landfall.

The depression over the Bay of Bengal is predicted to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning, before strengthening further into a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning.

Parallel system over the Arabian Sea

Meanwhile, a separate depression over the east-central Arabian Sea has been moving north-northwestwards, lying about 380 km west-northwest of Panjim (Goa), 400 km southwest of Mumbai, and 620 km northwest of Mangalore.

This system is expected to move northwest over the next 24 hours and bring heavy rainfall to Goa, the Konkan coast, Gujarat, and Kerala, according to reports.

IMD update on current positions

As of 11:30 a.m. IST on October 25, the depression over the east-central Arabian Sea was moving west-northwest at 12 kmph, while the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal was moving west at around 7 kmph.

The Bay of Bengal system was located approximately 460 km west-southwest of Port Blair, 950 km southeast of Visakhapatnam, 970 km southeast of Kakinada, and 1,030 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, the IMD said.

The weather agency expects the Bay of Bengal depression to strengthen into a deep depression by October 26, a cyclonic storm by October 27 morning, and a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning, before making landfall near Kakinada later that day.