A fresh cyclonic storm is likely to take shape on Sunday and make landfall as a severe cyclonic storm on the coast of Andhra Pradesh the next day as the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the cyclone will be called ”Murasu”—a name suggested by India—once it forms.
In a bulletin issued at 8.30 pm, IMD said the deep depression zone will turn into a cyclonic storm on November 1 and a severe cyclonic storm over westcentral Bay of Bengal on November 2.
“It is likely to reach over westcentral Bay of Bengal near south Andhra Pradesh coast by the early hours of November 3 and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 100 to 110 km/hr gusting to 120 km/hr between Nellore and Narsapur by the morning of November 3, 2026,” it added.
On October 28, Cyclone Arnab bruised Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with wind speeds nearing 150 kmph at landfall.
According to IMD, winds of up to 90 kmph are classified as a cyclonic storm; between 90-120 kmph is a “severe cyclonic storm”; between 120-165 kmph is a “very severe cyclonic” storm, 165-220 kmph is an “extremely severe cyclonic” storm and over 220 kmph is a “super cyclone”.
{{/usCountry}}According to IMD, winds of up to 90 kmph are classified as a cyclonic storm; between 90-120 kmph is a “severe cyclonic storm”; between 120-165 kmph is a “very severe cyclonic” storm, 165-220 kmph is an “extremely severe cyclonic” storm and over 220 kmph is a “super cyclone”.
{{/usCountry}}Hottest October in over a century
Briefing on the monthly outlook for rainfall and temperature, the IMD chief said below normal rainfall and above normal temperatures are likely across most parts of the country next month. Meanwhile, he also said October 2026 remained the hottest month since 1901, in terms of the average maximum temperature in the country.
IMD data showed India recorded an average maximum temperature of 32.43°C in October 2026 , which was 1.06°C above the long period average (LPA). “This makes it the highest ever for the country for October since data is available from 1901,” Mohapatra said.
In November, below normal rainfall is likely over most parts of the country except for some areas in central, northwest and northeast India, where normal to above-normal rainfall could happen, IMD said. Monthly rainfall over south peninsular India, consisting of five meteorological subdivisions (Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikkal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema, Kerala& Mahe and South Interior Karnataka) is meanwhile likely to be 77% below the LPA.
Maximum and minimum temperatures are also expected to be above normal in most parts of the country, except some pockets in the Himalayan foothills and parts of central and eastern India, as El Nino continues to intensify. “El Nino should strengthen further into November, before its intensity starts to reduce,” Mohapatra added.