Cyclone Murasu weakens; IMD forecasts rain in Konkan, Marathwada and parts of western Maharashtra

With Diwali preparations under way, the weather in Maharashtra is likely to change again. Cyclone Murasu, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, is now weakening, but it may affect some parts of the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain on November 4 in some districts of Konkan, central Maharashtra and Marathwada. Light to moderate showers with lightning are possible in some places. The rest of Maharashtra will remain cloudy, with temperatures fluctuating.

The weather will not be uniform across Konkan. Palghar, Thane, Mumbai and Raigad are likely to stay dry, which may bring relief from rain. Conditions will differ in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, where light rain with thunder is forecast, so residents should plan their work according to the changing weather.

In western Maharashtra, Pune city and the Pune ghat area may stay dry. Kolhapur, Kolhapur ghat, Satara, Sangli and Solapur may see light to moderate rain with thunder. The amount of rain may vary with local conditions. Over the next few days, most of western Maharashtra is expected to turn dry again.

No rain is expected in Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nashik and Ahilyanagar in north Maharashtra. The weather will be mainly dry, though a difference between day and night temperatures may be felt. The air may be cool at night in particular.

Light showers with thunder are forecast in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded and Latur in Marathwada. Beed and Dharashiv are likely to stay dry. Marathwada will thus see a mixed picture, with rain in some places and dry weather in others.

The weather department said there is no prospect of rain in any district of Vidarbha for now. Amravati, Akola, Washim, Yavatmal, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli may stay dry. Temperatures there are still expected to keep fluctuating, so day and night conditions may feel different.

As for Murasu, the severe cyclone, formed in the Bay of Bengal, made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of Tuesday, November 3. It crossed the coast near Ongole, between Nellore and Narasapur. Winds were blowing at 100 to 110 km per hour at the time, and heavy rain was recorded in the area.

After landfall, the cyclone is gradually losing strength. Moving north, the centre of the system was 30 km north of Ongole and 40 km south-west of Bapatla. According to the weather department, it will weaken further today, November 4, and turn into a low-pressure area.