Amaravati, 2 November

Severe cyclonic storm 'Murasu' is set to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narasapur in the intervening night of November 2-3, the Meteorological Department said on Monday.

Under the influence of Murasu, the Met department forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers across several places in Andhra Pradesh.

Around 8.30 am on Monday, Murasu lay centred over west-central Bay of Bengal, about 160 km east to southeast of Nellore, 210 km southeast of Ongole and 240 km south of Machilipatnam. Later, the weather system moved west to northwestwards with a speed of 22 kmph from west-central and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal.

"The severe cyclonic storm Murasu is very likely to move northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100 to 110 kmph (and) gusting up to 120 kmph between Nellore and Narasapur to the south of Ongole during midnight (11.30 pm) of today to early hours (4 am) of tomorrow, November 3," the Met department said in an official release.

Under the influence of Murasu, it forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at most places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema on Monday.

Likewise, extremely heavy rainfall is expected at one or two places over Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Tirupati districts.

For November 3, the Met department forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at most places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, including similar weather at many places in Rayalaseema.

Extremely heavy rainfall is expected at one or two places over Palnadu, Tirupati and Nandyal districts, including heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over Eluru, NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor, Annamayya, Kadapa and Kurnool districts.

Similarly, it forecast heavy rainfall at one or two places over Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Sri Sathya Sai and Anantapur districts and Yanam.

Further, the Met department said light to moderate rain or thundershowers are expected at many places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema on November 4 and 5, including heavy rainfall at one or two places over Palnadu, Prakasam, Kurnool and Nandyal districts on November 4.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are also expected at a few places over Coastal Andhra and Yanam, and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at one or two places over Rayalaseema on November 5.

Rainy days are likely to be accompanied by squally winds reaching up to 110 kmph, the release said.