The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued critical red and orange alerts for 23 out of 26 districts in Andhra Pradesh, anticipating the formation of Cyclone Montha on the morning of October 27, 2025.
Seven districts are under a red alert, indicating a high likelihood of extremely heavy rainfall: SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, and Kakinada. The remaining districts, excluding Anantapur, Kurnool, and Sri Sathya Sai, are under an orange alert, preparing for heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 27, 2025.
Looking ahead, 22 districts will remain under red and orange alerts for October 28, 2025. By October 29, 2025, the red alerts are expected to primarily focus on North coastal Andhra Pradesh.
A deep depression, which formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 5:30 a.m., has been steadily moving west-northwestwards. As of 8:30 a.m. on October 26, 2025, it was centered 830 km south-southeast of both Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.
This system is forecasted to intensify into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 27, 2025, and further into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28, 2025. Its projected path continues north-northwestwards, with an anticipated landfall near the Kakinada coast of Andhra Pradesh during the evening of October 28, 2025. Wind speeds during landfall are expected to range from 90-100 kmph, potentially gusting up to 110 kmph.
Currently, squally weather with wind speeds of 35-45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, is already affecting the Andhra Pradesh coast. These winds are predicted to strengthen to 65 kmph by October 27, 2025, and reach gale speeds of 80 kmph by October 28, 2025, with gusts up to 110 kmph from the evening of October 28 through the early hours of October 29. Wind speeds are then expected to gradually decrease to 45-55 kmph by the evening of October 29.
The IMD has also warned of extremely dangerous sea conditions. Waters along and off the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts are expected to be very rough on October 27, 2025. They will deteriorate further to ‘very rough’ to ‘high’ on October 28, 2025, escalating to ‘very high’ from the evening of October 28 onwards, before gradually returning to ‘very rough’ by the night of October 29.
Despite the looming threat, Sunday, October 26, 2025, saw clear skies across most of the state, with only a few areas experiencing very light showers, providing a brief calm before the storm.