The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has put Bengaluru and several districts of Karnataka on alert as a deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal moves closer to the coast, with forecasts suggesting it will intensify into Cyclone Montha in the next 24 hours.
At 8:30 am on October 26, the weather system was located about 620 km west of Port Blair, 780 km east-southeast of Chennai, and 830 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, moving west-northwest at around 6 km per hour, the IMD's daily weather bulletin noted. The agency said it is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm by Monday (October 27) and further strengthen into a severe cyclone by Tuesday (October 28).
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Cyclone Montha is expected to make landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, on the evening or night of October 28, with wind speeds of 90 to 100 kmph and gusts up to 110 kmph.
While the storm’s centre will remain far from Karnataka, its outer bands are expected to trigger widespread rainfall across coastal and southern parts of the state. The IMD has warned of heavy to moderate rainfall over Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts, and light to moderate showers over Ballari, Bengaluru (Rural), Bengaluru (Urban), Chamarajanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Tumakuru and Vijayanagara districts until Monday.
{{/usCountry}}While the storm’s centre will remain far from Karnataka, its outer bands are expected to trigger widespread rainfall across coastal and southern parts of the state. The IMD has warned of heavy to moderate rainfall over Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts, and light to moderate showers over Ballari, Bengaluru (Rural), Bengaluru (Urban), Chamarajanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Tumakuru and Vijayanagara districts until Monday.
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Meteorologists say that as the system intensifies, moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal will bring intermittent rain to Bengaluru, especially in the evenings. Light waterlogging and traffic disruptions are possible in low-lying areas.
Residents have been advised to stay updated on IMD forecasts, avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rain, and secure loose outdoor items as a precaution. Meanwhile, a separate depression over the Arabian Sea is moving southwest and is not expected to affect the Karnataka coast, the IMD stated.
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Local forecast for Bengaluru
Bengaluru city and its surrounding areas are set to see partly cloudy skies through the period up to the morning of October 28. Over the next 24 hours, the weather will remain mostly dry with a maximum temperature of around 29 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.