Cyclone Murasu Upgraded to Severe Cyclonic Storm Off Andhra Coast

Cyclonic Storm Murasu upgraded to a Severe Cyclonic Storm over the west‑central and southwest Bay of Bengal early Monday. The Indian Meteorological Department recorded the system at 2.30 a.m., centered about 260 km east‑northeast of Chennai, 290 km east‑southeast of Nellore, 320 km south‑southeast of Machilipatnam, 310 km east‑southeast of Kavali, 330 km southeast of Ongole and 470 km south of Vishakhapatnam. Forecasts suggest the storm will move northwestward and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole while maintaining wind speeds of 100‑110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph. Rain began in parts of the state by 6 a.m., and an extremely heavy rainfall alert was issued for Eluru, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla and SPSR Nellore. Very heavy rain is also expected in NTR, Eluru, East and West Godavari, Palnadu, Chittoor and Tirupati districts for Monday, November 1. ## Context The IMD classifies storms with sustained winds of 89‑117 km/h as Severe Cyclonic Storms. The Bay of Bengal regularly spawns such systems during the pre‑monsoon period, often bringing intense rain and strong winds to Andhra Pradesh’s coastal districts.