Depression over Bay of Bengal intensified, says IMD; cyclone ‘Murasu’ may hit Andhra on Nov 3

The storm was over the Southeast and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal on November 1, 2026. At 0530 IST, it lay near 11.5°N latitude and 86.4°E longitude. It had moved west-northwestwards at 23 kmph during the previous six hours. Its location matters because the system was moving toward India’s southeastern coast.

The system was about 700 km east-southeast of Chennai. It was also 770 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 770 km southeast of Machilipatnam, and 810 km east-southeast of Ongole. These distances show its position relative to major coastal and nearby cities.

The IMD expected the system to strengthen further and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast by the morning of November 3, Tuesday. The projected crossing zone was between Nellore and Narsapur. The forecast intensity was a severe cyclonic storm, with winds of 100 to 110 kmph and gusts reaching 120 kmph.

A deep depression is an organized, rotating low-pressure system with stronger winds than an ordinary depression. In India’s standard weather classification, a deep depression has sustained winds of 52 to 61 kmph. The article reports that the Bay of Bengal depression had reached this stage before any further strengthening.

A cyclonic storm is the next category, with sustained winds of 62 to 88 kmph. A severe cyclonic storm is stronger, with sustained winds of 89 to 117 kmph. These categories help the IMD describe the system’s intensity consistently and communicate the likely level of danger.

The article says the system was likely to become a cyclonic storm within hours. It also forecast a severe cyclonic storm at landfall, with winds of 100 to 110 kmph and gusts up to 120 kmph. Those expected winds fit the severe category, although gusts are higher than sustained winds.

The expected storm was forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm. The IMD projected sustained winds of 100 to 110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph. This is substantially stronger than the system’s earlier deep-depression stage and explains the concern for coastal districts.

At 0530 IST on November 1, the system was about 700 km east-southeast of Chennai. It was approximately 770 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 770 km southeast of Machilipatnam. It was farther from Ongole, at about 810 km east-southeast. These figures describe the storm’s position before its expected west-northwestward movement.

The forecast placed landfall between Nellore and Narsapur on the Andhra Pradesh coast. The crossing was expected by the morning of November 3. The storm was to be named Murasu if it developed into a cyclone, though the article reports that the IMD expected severe-cyclone intensity at landfall.

Winds of 100 to 120 kmph are powerful enough to create serious risks along an exposed coast. They can damage roofs, signs, windows, temporary structures, trees, power lines, and communication equipment. Flying debris can endanger people, while fallen trees and poles can block roads and rail routes.

Coastal communities may also face interruptions to electricity, phone service, transport, fishing, and other outdoor work. Strong winds can damage standing crops and affect homes or public buildings that are weak or poorly secured. Storm-driven seawater and heavy rain can worsen flooding, though the article does not provide a rainfall or surge forecast for this system.

The article gives the expected wind range but does not list confirmed damage from Murasu. It reports that Cyclone Arnab had recently caused havoc across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and southern India. The new forecast therefore matters because communities were facing another potentially damaging storm soon after Arnab.

The India Meteorological Department tracks a storm by monitoring its position, movement, pressure system, and changing intensity. It then uses those observations to estimate where the system will travel, how strong it may become, and when it could reach land. The article identifies the IMD as the source of the storm’s location and forecast.

In its November 1 update, the IMD reported that the depression had moved west-northwestwards at 23 kmph during six hours. It gave coordinates, distances from several cities, the system’s new deep-depression status, and projected wind speeds. These details turn a distant weather system into practical information for coastal authorities and residents.

The department forecast a likely crossing between Nellore and Narsapur on November 3. It also said the storm could have winds of 100 to 110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph. The article does not specify the satellites, radar, or other instruments used, but the warnings support preparation before landfall.

A weather system over the Bay of Bengal can intensify when warm ocean water adds heat and moisture to the air above it. Rising moist air lowers pressure near the surface. Air then flows toward the low-pressure center, where Earth’s rotation helps create a spinning circulation. This process can make the system more organized.

The key mechanism is the release of heat when water vapor rises and condenses into clouds and rain. That heat supports further rising air and can strengthen the circulation. Low wind shear is also important because strong winds blowing in different directions or at different speeds can disrupt the storm’s vertical structure.

The article reports that this system progressed from a depression to a deep depression and was expected to become a cyclonic storm within hours. It does not give ocean-temperature or wind-shear measurements. Those factors are established scientific explanations for rapid intensification, while the article’s direct evidence is the observed strengthening and forecast.

Warm ocean water determines how much heat and moisture a developing cyclone can access. More evaporation supplies moist air. When that air rises and condenses into clouds, it releases heat, helping maintain strong upward motion. This can lower pressure further near the storm’s center and strengthen the circulation.

Atmospheric pressure shows the storm’s organization and energy. Air flows toward the lower pressure, while Earth’s rotation bends that flow into a rotating system. Winds at different heights also matter. Weak vertical wind shear allows the circulation to stay stacked, but strong shear can tilt or disrupt it. These mechanisms influence strength.

The storm’s path depends mainly on larger-scale steering winds around it. The article records west-northwestward movement at 23 kmph and forecasts a crossing between Nellore and Narsapur. It does not provide water temperatures, pressure values, or upper-air wind data, so those factors explain the science rather than details measured in this report.