Storm Surge, Flash Floods, Gusty Winds: IMD’s Rainfall Forecast Explained
Cyclone Montha, which had intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over the Bay of Bengal, made landfall near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, early on October 29. Although it has now weakened into a Cyclonic Storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warns that the system will continue to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across several states in Central and Northeast India over the next few days
Cyclone Montha Landfall: Impact on Andhra Pradesh
At 2:30 a.m. IST, Cyclone Montha was located:
- 20 km west-northwest of Narsapur
- 50 km northeast of Machilipatnam
- 90 km west-southwest of Kakinada
- 230 km southwest of Visakhapatnam
The storm crossed the Andhra coast with wind speeds of up to 90–100 kmph. Despite weakening, it caused:
- Localized flooding in Krishna, East Godavari, and West Godavari districts
- Uprooted trees and damaged power lines
- Disruption to rail and air services in coastal Andhra
IMD Rainfall Forecast: Central India Braces for Impact
The IMD’s All India Weather Bulletin (valid till November 3) highlights a prolonged spell of rain and thunderstorms due to:
- Cyclone Montha’s inland movement
- A developing depression over the East Central Arabian Sea
States likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall -Cyclone Montha effect:
- October 29: Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Saurashtra, Kutch
- October 30: Bihar, East Madhya Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya
- October 31 – November 1: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim
⚠️ Extremely heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Odisha and Bihar. Flash floods and road damage are likely in low-lying areas The Week.
Wind Alerts: Gusty Winds Across Eastern and Coastal India
Thunderstorms with gusty winds (40–50 kmph) are forecast over:
- East Uttar Pradesh
- Jharkhand
- Assam and Meghalaya
- Gujarat and Konkan coasts
Fishermen have been advised to avoid the sea due to rough to very rough conditions along the Andhra and Odisha coasts. Moderate storm surge may still inundate low-lying areas near Kakinada and Machilipatnam
Arabian Sea Depression: Another Weather System Brewing
While Montha weakens, a new depression over the East Central Arabian Sea is under close watch. This system may:
- Intensify further
- Influence rainfall over Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat
- Trigger squally winds along the Konkan and Saurashtra coasts
This dual-system scenario is expected to keep India’s weather volatile through the first week of November.
Agricultural Impact and Safety Measures
Farmers in eastern and central India are advised to:
- Drain excess water from paddy fields
- Delay harvesting in flood-prone zones
- Secure stored grains and fertilizers
Local administrations in Bihar, Odisha, and Telangana have activated disaster response teams and issued alerts in vulnerable districts.
For real-time updates, visit the IMD official website or follow IMD on X (Twitter).
