The depression over the south-east Bay of Bengal has moved west-north-westwards at a speed of 23 kmph in the past six hours.
The weather system intensified into a deep depression and lay centred about 700 km east of Chennai and 770 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 770 km southeast of Machilipatnam, 810 km east-southeast of Ongole, Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.
It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph between Nellore and Narsapur by Tuesday morning. It is likely to cross the coast along the southern Andhra Pradesh coast on November 3.
The IMD said that the low-pressure area is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm within the next 24 hours.
Pradeep John, a member of the El Nino Impact Research Group, told Tamil outlet Daily Thanthi that the centre of Cyclone Murasu is moving towards southern Andhra Pradesh.
Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in certain districts on November 2 and 3.
The storm will also cause rainfall in some parts of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, with the forecast period extended till November 4.
South Central Andhra Pradesh is set to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
There is also set to be moderate rainfall in North Tamil Nadu around Ponneri-Kumidipoondi - Puligad areas.
The Chennai Meteorological Department said the storm will bring some moderate rainfall to Chennai.
The weather department also said that northern coastal districts areas along the Western Ghats and several interior district are likely to receive moderate rainfall on Sunday. Moderate rain is also expected in Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal, Salem, Erode and Karur on Sunday.
Isolated heavy rainfall can be expected in Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, and Villupuram districts over the next two days,
Director General of IMD Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that once the storm develops into a cyclone, it will be called 'Murasu', meaning 'drum' in Tamil.
