Cyclone Murasu forms, with Andhra Pradesh coast in forecast path

Cyclone Murasu formed over the Bay of Bengal on November 1, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue a cyclone alert and forecast further intensification and a possible crossing of the Andhra Pradesh coast early this week. The department said a deep depression intensified into the storm at 11:30 a.m. Its forecast was for Murasu to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 2, then move northwest toward the coast. The department projected winds of 100 to 110 km/h, with gusts up to 120 km/h, and a crossing between Nellore and Narsapur from late November 2 into early November 3. These are forecasts, not confirmed impacts. A separate report published before the storm formed had cited an earlier projection of a crossing near Machilipatnam between November 2 and the morning of November 3. The available reports do not establish when or why the forecast corridor changed. The later forecast attributed to the department identifies the stretch between Nellore and Narsapur. The storm’s development has also prompted rain warnings for Odisha. The department forecast heavy to very heavy rain in southern parts of the state on November...