Tropical Cyclone Michaung intensified over the Bay of Bengal southeast of Nellore, India on Monday morning. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday the center of Tropical Cyclone Michaung was located at latitude 14.1°N and longitude 80.7°E which put it about 60 miles (95 km) southeast of Nellore, India. Michaung was moving toward the northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 987 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Michaung intensified to the threshold of a hurricane/typhoon over the Bay of Bengal southeast of Nellore, India on Monday morning. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Michaung’s circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Cyclone Michaung. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Michaung.

Tropical Cyclone Michaung will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Michaung will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the southwestern part of an upper level ridge over the Bay of Bengal. The upper level ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Michaung’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification. The western part of Tropical Cyclone Michaung’s circulation will be over southeastern India. Even though almost half of Michaung will be over land, the center of circulation will still be over the Bay of Bengal. Tropical Cyclone Michaung could intensify to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon during the next 12 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Michaung will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over East Asia. The high pressure system will steer Michaung toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Michaung will move toward the coast of southeast India. The center of Michaung will approach the coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam in 18 hours. The India Meteorological Department issued Cyclone Warnings for the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Tropical Cyclone Michaung will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to parts of southeast India. Bands in the western side of Michaung’s circulation were already dropping rain over northern Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh. There were reports of flooding in Chennai. Heavy rain could cause additional floods in other locations. Tropical Cyclone Michaung could cause a storm surge of up to seven feet (two meters) along the coast.