It’s official: Cyclone Montha has become the absolute main character of everyone’s weather app, and honestly, it’s giving major “no chill” energy. If your group chat is already buzzing with “kal office band hai kya?” memes, welcome to peak coastal FOMO. With the IMD sending out cyclone alerts faster than you can say ‘battery saver mode’, here’s a scan-friendly update for anyone decoding warnings, school closures, and juggling chai with chargers. Swipe down for what actually went down, in classic snackable slides you’ll actually finish.
- Where Montha Is Headed, And When It Might Knock
Think of Montha as that guest who arrives dramatic, carrying wind, rain, and, yes, zero chill. The IMD’s official guidance says landfall is coming Tuesday evening/night, somewhere between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, close to Kakinada. Expect wind speeds up to 90–100 km/h, gusting to 110—enough to mess up your hair and your wifi. Montha shifted northwest, then north-northwest over the Bay, dragging rain alerts across the Andhra, Odisha, and West Bengal coast. Officials warned about 3.9 million people in Andhra could face impacts, with thousands moved to relief camps as a precaution.
Image courtesy english.mathrubhumi.com
School Status: ‘Backpack down, umbrella up’
If you were waiting for that sweet “School chhutti” notification, here’s your moment. Districts across Andhra Pradesh—Kakinada, NTR, Bapatla, Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari, and Eluru, have declared holidays till Oct 29–31. Odisha’s southern districts aren’t far behind, with red alerts and school shutdowns in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and friends. Kolkata and other parts of Bengal are prepping too, with the outer cyclone bands already bringing in that moody drizzle. Homework can definitely wait, safety can’t. Aaj ka time-table: chai, chargers, and check advisories.What To Expect: Rain, Wind, Waves—In That Order
Get ready for the classic pre-cyclone combo: rain (lots), wind (wild), and waves (hold your beach trips). Coastal Andhra and Yanam get the first hit Oct 27–29, but Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal/Chhattisgarh will catch phases too. If your street’s already giving you ‘free foot spa’ vibes, welcome to Montha mode. The sea’s off-limits for fishing and beach time (sorry, Insta Reels) as wind gusts of 90–110 km/h and waterlogging are real possibilities. Basically, umbrella up, even if your group is far from the exact landfall.
Image courtesy The Hindu
Prep Like A Pro: Pocket Safety Checklist You’ll Actually Use
You know those emergency checklists everyone forwards? Time to actually use one—with zero faff:
– Charge those precious power banks (yes, your ancient portable one too), stash torches, dry snacks, meds, and fill up bottled water.
– Park your vehicles smartly, avoid low-lying, flood-prone spots!
– Keep state helplines saved, and actually follow IMD, NDMA, and your district collector on Twitter/Instagram for legit updates.
If you’re in the red zone, don’t fight the evacuation, AP’s got shelters and relief teams set up. This is also your sign to finally find that elusive torch you swore was ‘in the drawer only’.The Wider Picture: Why Bay Storms Hit Different
Let’s science this, zero jargon, pinky promise. When the Bay of Bengal gets warm, and with our funnel-shaped coastline, cyclones like Montha can ramp up the rain and surge, so all-hands alerts make total sense. Montha (yep, named by Thailand!) is the first big east coast cyclone of the year—no wonder 20+ districts in Andhra are on red or orange alert, with Odisha and Bengal also watching closely. Warm waters + geography = max prep mode, zero panic.
Image courtesy The Economic Times
So that’s the Montha moodboard, no-nonsense, all-hands-on-deck, and a little bit of chaos. Stay safe, check on your neighbours, strays, and delivery heroes!