Light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers are likely in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, and Jhargram, the IMD said. Although Kolkata is not directly in the cyclone’s path, the city is expected to experience intermittent rain and cloudy conditions throughout the week.

A yellow alert has been issued for October 28 and 29 across south Bengal, warning of heavy rain in Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, and Jhargram. In contrast, north Bengal will remain mostly dry, with only Darjeeling and Kalimpong likely to receive light rain, officials said.

The IMD has cautioned residents about potential waterlogging in low-lying areas, traffic congestion, and damage to standing crops. It also urged the public to avoid taking shelter under trees or electric poles during thunderstorms. Farmers have been advised to harvest mature crops and store them safely before the onset of heavy rainfall.

Over the Bay of Bengal, gale-force winds reaching 80–100 kmph are expected, creating extremely rough sea conditions. Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal coast from October 28 to 30.

The Kolkata and Haldia ports have hoisted Distant Warning Signal No. 2, while Sagar Island has issued sectional warning signals, indicating heightened caution for maritime operations.

As of 8:30 am on Monday, Cyclone Montha was centered around 520 km east-southeast of Chennai and 570 km south-southeast of Kakinada, according to IMD data. Meteorologists are closely monitoring the storm’s trajectory, with further updates expected as it moves north-northeastwards over the Bay of Bengal.