Patna: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that Cyclone Montha, currently brewing over the southwestern and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, is likely to bring heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to several districts of Bihar on October 30 and 31.
According to the IMD’s Patna Meteorological Centre, the cyclone, pronounced ‘Som-tha’, has been moving north-northwest at 18 kmph, and at 8:30 am on October 27, it was centred near latitude 12.6°N and longitude 85.0°E—approximately 520 km east-southeast of Chennai and 750 km south of Gopalpur, Odisha.
The system is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28, making landfall between Machilipatnam and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh later that evening, with wind speeds reaching 90–110 kmph. After making landfall, it will gradually weaken while moving north-northeastward across Chhattisgarh and Odisha, reaching Jharkhand and adjoining Bihar by October 30 as a low-pressure area.
(A) #Cyclonic #Storm “#Montha” [Pronunciation : Mon-Tha] over Southwest & adjoining areas of Westcentral and southeast Bay of Bengal
The Cyclonic Storm “Montha” [Pronunciation : Mon-Tha] over Southwest & adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15… pic.twitter.com/PjFekewXvx
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 27, 2025
Forecast for Bihar
The IMD has predicted that Bihar will experience light to moderate rainfall in most parts of the state, while heavy to very heavy rain is likely in the northern and southern districts between October 30 and 31.
- On October 30, Jamui, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, and Sheikhpura districts are expected to see very heavy rainfall, while Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Kaimur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Buxar, Arwal, Jehanabad, Nalanda, and Patna may witness isolated heavy rain.
- On October 31, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Madhubani, Araria, Darbhanga, and Supaul are likely to face very heavy rainfall, with Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa, Madhepura, and Purnia expected to experience heavy rain at one or two locations.
The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms and lightning across much of the state during this period, accompanied by gusty winds of 30–40 kmph.
Residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas have been cautioned against venturing near rivers or embankments, as water levels could rise due to continuous rainfall.
Administrative Preparedness
The Bihar Disaster Management Department has been placed on alert, with district administrations instructed to monitor reservoirs, drainage systems, and embankments. In previous cyclonic systems, heavy rainfall had led to waterlogging in urban areas such as Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur.
IMD officials advised the public to track updates through the Meteorological Centre Patna’s official website (mausam.imd.gov.in/patna), as well as its Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube channels for real-time alerts.
As Cyclone Montha moves inland, Bihar braces for two days of intense weather that may test the state’s infrastructure and preparedness — even as the lingering clouds of Chhath Puja give way to a storm from the sea.
