A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Murasu on Sunday, November 1, 2026, setting up a second major storm threat for India’s east coast in a matter of days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the system became a cyclonic storm at 11:30 am IST over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, and it is expected to strengthen further before reaching land.
Key Takeaways
- Cyclone Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal on November 1 and is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on November 2.
- The IMD expects it to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur by the morning of November 3, with winds of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.
- Odisha’s southern districts are on alert for heavy to very heavy rain from November 2 to November 4, with an orange warning for five districts.
Where Murasu Is Now and Where It Is Heading
In its morning bulletin, the IMD placed the system at 5:30 am on Sunday about 700 km east-southeast of Chennai, 770 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 770 km southeast of Machilipatnam. It was moving west-northwestwards at about 23 kmph, a track that keeps it pointed toward the Andhra Pradesh coast.
The forecast path is clear in outline, even as the exact landfall point will be refined in later bulletins. The system is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 2, and then cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm between Nellore and Narsapur by the morning of November 3. At landfall, sustained winds are expected at 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching 120 kmph.
The name Murasu was contributed by India, and it means war drum in Tamil. Under the regional naming system, a storm receives its name once it reaches cyclonic storm intensity, which is the threshold this system crossed on Sunday morning.
Andhra Pradesh Braces for Landfall
For coastal Andhra Pradesh, the warning is about wind, rain and sea conditions together, not wind alone. The IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall across coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on November 2 and 3, and of damage to thatched and kutcha houses, rooftops, power and communication poles, along with uprooted trees and damaged plantations. Strong winds and intense rainfall could also lead to waterlogging and flooding in low-lying areas.
The timing adds to the pressure on the state. The same coastline is still dealing with the aftermath of the previous storm of the season, and Cyclone Arnab completed its landfall on the Andhra coast only days earlier, before weakening as relief work continued in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Murasu is the second cyclone over the Bay during the ongoing northeast monsoon season, and it threatens the stretch of coast immediately south of the areas battered by Arnab.
The system is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on November 2, and then cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm between Nellore and Narsapur by the morning of November 3.
Odisha on Alert for Three Days of Rain
Odisha has stepped up preparedness in its southern region, even though the forecast landfall is in Andhra Pradesh. The state’s Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, said the government has announced a high alert in the southern region, and the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar said Odisha will receive rainfall from November 2, with intensity increasing on November 3 and 4 under the influence of the cyclone.
Several southern districts face days of heavy rain. The IMD has issued a yellow warning of heavy rainfall over Ganjam and Gajapati on November 2 and 3, and an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall for Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri on November 3 and 4. District administrations in the south have been asked to stay ready as the system approaches.
- Murasu formed at 11:30 am IST on November 1 over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal.
- It is forecast to become a severe cyclonic storm on November 2 and cross the Andhra coast between Nellore and Narsapur by November 3 morning.
- Landfall winds are expected at 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, with heavy to very heavy rain in coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha.
- The name Murasu, contributed by India, means war drum in Tamil.
Why the Second Storm Matters
Back-to-back cyclones strain the same systems twice: drainage, power lines, roads and relief supplies that have barely been restored after the first storm face a second test. That is why warnings for Murasu cover both the landfall zone in Andhra Pradesh and districts further north in Odisha, where the rain, rather than the wind, is the main danger. People in low-lying and coastal areas are advised to follow official IMD bulletins and local administration instructions as the storm moves closer, rather than relying on older forecasts.
The storm is also arriving on a busy weekend in Andhra Pradesh, where polling was underway for urban local body elections on November 1. Officials will be watching both the weather bulletins and conditions on the ground as Murasu advances through the Bay.
What to Watch Next
The next IMD bulletins will confirm whether Murasu intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm on November 2 as forecast, and narrow the landfall window between Nellore and Narsapur for the morning of November 3. The key numbers to watch are the wind speeds at landfall, expected at 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, and the rainfall totals for coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha on November 2 and 3. Any shift in track, speed or intensity in those bulletins will change which districts face the heaviest rain and the strongest winds.