Cyclone Murasu to bring rain to several Maharashtra districts over next three days

Cyclonic storm Murasu, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, has intensified, and its effect may be seen on Maharashtra's weather too. Parts of the state are receiving light showers at present, but the rain is not uniform everywhere. Only a few districts are expected to see heavier rain. The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings for different districts for three days, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. People in the state may therefore have to face rain over the next few days.

On Monday, November 2, heavy rain is forecast in Pune district. Thunderstorms with rain are likely in Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Kolhapur ghat areas, Satara ghat areas, Pune ghat areas, Ahilyanagar, Sangli, Satara, Latur and Dharashiv districts. Light showers with lightning are likely in Nanded, Nashik ghat areas, Solapur and Nashik districts.

On Tuesday, November 3, a warning of rain with lightning is in place for Sindhudurg, Kolhapur, Kolhapur ghat areas, Latur, Nanded, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts. Light showers are likely in Nashik ghat areas, Nashik, Pune ghat areas, Satara ghat areas, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Pune, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Beed and Dharashiv.

On Wednesday, November 4, an alert for rain with lightning is in place for Kolhapur, Kolhapur ghat areas, Washim, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts. Light showers are forecast in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Nashik ghat areas, Nashik, Pune ghat areas, Satara ghat areas, Satara, Sangli, Pune, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed, Dharashiv, Latur, Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani.

Murasu turned into a severe cyclonic storm in the early hours of Monday, when it was over the west-central Bay of Bengal. Its centre was 160 km south-east of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, 180 km north-east of Chennai, 180 km south-east of Kavali, 210 km south-east of Ongole and 240 km south of Machilipatnam.

According to the weather department, the storm may move north-west. Between 11.30 pm on Monday and 4 am on Tuesday, it may cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm between Nellore and Narasapur, south of Ongole. Wind speed at that time will be 100 to 110 km per hour, with gusts of up to 120 km per hour.

The storm is expected to weaken after crossing the coast. By early Tuesday, wind speed will drop to 70 to 80 km per hour and it will be a cyclonic storm. By Tuesday evening it is likely to weaken further into a deep depression. By early on November 4 it will become a depression, the weather department said.