Cyclone Murasu likely to bring heavy rainfall across southern states

The storm is likely to trigger heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and gale-force winds across parts of southern India over the next three days, with Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema expected to bear the brunt of the system.

New Delhi: Severe cyclonic storm Murasu over the west central Bay of Bengal is likely to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, south of Ongole, around midnight on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Landfall Alert

The cyclone is expected to make landfall as a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph. The landfall is likely between 11.30 pm on 2 November and 4 am on 3 November, 2026.

The storm is likely to trigger heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and gale-force winds across parts of southern India over the next three days, with Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema expected to bear the brunt of the system.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

The IMD forecast landfall between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole on the south Andhra Pradesh coast. It was expected between 11:30 pm on November 2 and 4 am on November 3, 2026.

Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema are expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. Telangana, north Tamil Nadu, south Odisha and south Chhattisgarh are also forecast to receive heavy rain in some areas.

Winds along the Andhra Pradesh coast are expected to reach 100–110 kmph, with gusts up to 120 kmph. The IMD said winds should gradually weaken after landfall.

Schools and colleges in Chennai were closed on Monday, November 2, as a precaution amid heavy rainfall and the cyclone warning. Tiruvallur also declared a school holiday.

Yes. Flight operations in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai were affected by adverse weather, and some flights were cancelled. Passengers were advised to check their flight status with the airline before going to the airport.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Coastal Andhra Pradesh is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations on 2 and 3 November. Isolated heavy rainfall is also forecast on 4 November.

Rayalaseema is expected to witness a similar pattern, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on 2 and 3 November. Telangana is also likely to experience extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on 3 November, following heavy to very heavy rainfall on 2 November.

North Tamil Nadu is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on 2 November, while south Odisha and south Chhattisgarh may witness isolated heavy rainfall between 2 and 4 November.

The IMD has also warned of strong winds along the Andhra Pradesh coast. Wind speeds are expected to reach 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, by the night of 2 November and continue until the early hours of 3 November.

North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts may experience gale-force winds of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph. Parts of Telangana and Rayalaseema could witness winds reaching 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, during the early hours of 3 November.

Winds are expected to gradually weaken after the cyclone makes landfall, the weather department said.

About the Author

Vijay C. Roy is a journalist with over 21 years of experience covering various news beats across different organisations such as Business Standard and The Tribune. In the past, he has covered beats such as finance, auto, MSME, commodities, FMCG, pharmaceutical, agriculture, IT/ITES, infrastructure and start-ups. He joined Mint in February 2025, and covers agriculture, food processing, fertilizers, environment and climate change, bringing over two decades of experience reporting on farm policy, food inflation, crop trade, and rural livelihoods.<br><br>Vijay’s areas of reporting include food security and climate change policies, focusing on their impact on different stakeholders and their implications. His expertise lies in simplifying complex agri-economic issues such as edible oil import dependence, cotton and wheat trends, fertiliser subsidies, and climate-related risks. He has covered key developments including global supply disruptions and evolving trade policies, offering both macroeconomic perspective and field-level context. Known for his credible and balanced reporting, he follows a rigorous, fact-based approach that prioritises accuracy and context. He is driven by a commitment to public interest, aiming to make critical agricultural and economic issues accessible while contributing to informed policy and industry discussions.