The deep depression over southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm, officially becoming Cyclone ‘Montha’, on Sunday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that the system will further intensify to turn into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ by October 28.
The IMD said Cyclone Montha is expected to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast – between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada – during evening/night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm. Track Cyclone Montha live updates
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, parts of Chhattisgarh as well as Tamil Nadu are expected to face the impact of the Cyclone Montha, a name given by Thailand under the international convention.
IMD weather forecast
-Red alert in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha: Most of Andhra Pradesh is on red alert for October 27, 28 and 29 while Odisha for October 28 and 29, and Telangana as well as Chhattisgarh for just October 28, according to a post on X by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shared at around 2:45 pm on Sunday.
–Tamil Nadu on Orange alert: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are under orange and yellow alerts, respectively, for October 27 and 28.
-Very heavy rain in these areas: According to an IMD press release dated October 26, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Mahe on October 27 and 28, Coastal Karnataka during October 26 to 28, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam during October 26-30 with isolated extremely heavy rainfall during October 27-29 and Telangana during October 27-30 and isolated extremely heavy rainfall on October 28. Odisha is also expected to see isolated extremely heavy rainfall on October 28 and 29.
-Cyclones Montha latest status: In its latest update on the status of cyclonic storm Montha, IMD on Monday morning said it moved west-northwestwards on Bay of Bengal with a speed of 16 kmph and lay centered at 2:30 am over the same area – about 600 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 680 km south-southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 710 km south-southeast o Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 790 km west of Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and 850 km south of Gopalpur (Odisha).
-When will Cyclone Montha turn severe? It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during next 12 hours, IMD said. Thereafter it is likely to move northwestwards, the north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by morning of October 28, IMD added.
-When and where will Cyclone Montha make landfall: Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, Cyclone Montha is very likely to cross Andhra Prades coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during evening/night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-10 kmph gusting to 110 kmph, IMD said.
-Schools closed in Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh’s Board of Intermediate Education on Sunday announced that schools will be closed from October 27 to October 31 in districts of the state that are expected to face the Cyclone Montha impact. School will remain close in: Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu and YSR Kadapa, according to a report by The Hindu.
-Chennai weather | Are schools closed in Chennai? A major question on Monday morning was whether schools would remain closed in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which is expected to receive moderate to heavy rainfall due to the impact of Cyclone Montha. As of 9 am on Monday, there was no official notification regarding school closures in Chennai. However, the city remained under an orange alert for Monday and a yellow warning for Tuesday, October 28, according to the IMD website. Thiruvallur district was also placed under an orange alert for October 27 and 28.
