‹ News Blitz Geography Developing

Cyclone Murasu approaches Andhra Pradesh after forming in the Bay

English हिंदी ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം தமிழ் తెలుగు

First brief 1 Nov, 8:53 pm IST Updated 1 Nov, 8:53 pm IST 0 developments 3 min read

Fishing boats secured before a storm. — Clarity · AI illustration

Where it stands

Cyclone Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal on 1 November 2026, bringing another threat to India’s east coast. IMD expects it to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur. The forecast window runs from late on 2 November into the early hours of 3 November. IMD’s 2:05 pm bulletin records Murasu as a cyclonic storm in its 11:30 am observation. Further strengthening into a severe cyclonic storm is forecast before the crossing. The projected winds at landfall are 100–110 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching 120. These are forecast values, not winds already measured at the coast. The danger extends beyond the place where the centre reaches land. Heavy rain can spread inland, while rough seas and strong winds can arrive before landfall. IMD warns against fishing in affected waters. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam face a risk of extremely heavy rain on 2 and 3 November. Murasu is separate from Cyclone Arnab, which crossed the coast in late October. Areas recovering from that storm may face fresh disruption. Residents should follow updated local warnings and evacuation directions because the forecast can change as the storm moves.

Background

A tropical cyclone develops around an area of low pressure over warm ocean water. Moist air rises, clouds grow and winds circulate around the centre. Weather agencies classify the system according to its sustained wind speed as it strengthens or weakens. A depression, deep depression and cyclonic storm are therefore different stages, not interchangeable names. Forecasters may describe the stronger stage a system is expected to reach before it actually reaches that stage. Keeping observation and prediction separate explains why an early report can use one category and a later warning another. Landfall occurs when the centre crosses the coast. It is only one part of the hazard. Rain bands extend beyond the centre and can bring flooding before and after the crossing. Winds can also damage buildings, trees and power lines over a wider area. The sea adds a further risk. Strong winds can push water towards the shore, raising the sea above the expected tide. Low-lying coastal areas may then flood even without heavy rain directly overhead. Small boats face danger from rough conditions well before the storm reaches land. Preparedness therefore follows the forecast risk, rather than waiting for damage to begin. Weather bulletins guide authorities on fishing restrictions, vulnerable settlements and emergency arrangements. Forecasts are updated as the system moves, so an older track is not a permanent promise about where it will cross.

How it developed

1 November 2026, 2:05 pm IST bulletin

How it started
Murasu forms offshore as IMD warns of a stronger coastal crossing

IMD recorded Cyclone Murasu over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at 11:30 am on 1 November. The storm was about 560 kilometres east-southeast of Chennai. Earlier that morning, it had been a deep depression. The agency forecasts a severe cyclonic storm crossing between Nellore and Narsapur late on 2 November or early on 3 November. Rain, wind and rough-sea warnings give authorities time to prepare before the centre reaches land. The forecast needs to be checked again as later bulletins update the track and strength.

India Meteorological Department India Meteorological Department Business Standard

Why it matters for UPSC

GS1 · CyclonesGS3 · Disaster management

Explain the difference between an observed depression and a forecast cyclone. Connect landfall, heavy rain, wind and storm surge with different forms of risk. Discuss why early warning and evacuation must begin before the centre reaches the coast.

Key terms

Deep depressionA category of organised low-pressure system with stronger sustained winds than a depression. It is below cyclonic-storm strength in IMD’s classification. A prediction that it will intensify does not establish that the stronger stage has already been observed.

LandfallThe crossing of a storm’s centre from sea onto land. Rain and wind can reach the coast before this happens and continue afterwards. The location of landfall therefore does not describe the full area at risk.

Sustained wind and gustSustained wind describes speed averaged over a defined period. A gust is a brief stronger burst. The bulletin gives both because they describe different aspects of the wind hazard. The larger gust figure should not be presented as the continuous wind speed.

Storm surgeA rise in sea level caused by a storm, above the level expected from the normal tide. It can flood low-lying coastal areas. Storm surge differs from rainwater flooding and from the height of individual waves, though these hazards can occur together.

Forecast trackThe predicted path of the storm’s centre over time. It is based on observations and weather models and can change with new information. It is not a boundary outside which every place is safe.

Early warningInformation issued before a hazard reaches an area so that people and authorities can prepare. It can support decisions about fishing, transport and moving vulnerable residents. A useful warning states both the expected risk and the period to which it applies.

Sources (3)

India Meteorological Department · official · Cyclone Murasu: press release issued 1 November 2026 at 2:05 pm IST1 Nov, 2:29 pm
India Meteorological Department · official · National Bulletin 5: Bay of Bengal deep depression, issued 1 November at 1 pm IST1 Nov, 2:20 pm
Business Standard · IMD warns of another Bay of Bengal storm after Arnab1 Nov, 2:20 pm