Cyclone Montha intensifies into severe storm over Bay of Bengal, to cross Andhra coast tonight

Cyclonic storm 'Montha' over the west-central Bay of Bengal moved north to northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a severe cyclonic storm by 5.30 am on Tuesday, said the Meteorological Department.

The weather system lay centred 190 km south to southeast of Machilipatnam, 270 km south to southeast of Kakinada, and 340 km south to southeast of Vizag at 5.30 am.

"The cyclonic storm Montha over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours (and) intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and lay centred at 5.30 am about 190 km south to southeast of Machilipatnam," said the Met Department in an official release.

It is likely to continue moving north-northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening and night of Tuesday as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph.

The Met Department has forecast heavy rains across several parts of the southern state under the influence of Montha.

Montha means a fragrant flower in the Thai language.