The Met department has issued a cyclone alert for Mumbai and adjoining areas.
This cyclone, called PHYAN, is pegged at level six and the Met department has advised people in low lying areas to vacate at the earliest.
All emergency services have been put on high alert.
Many flights to and from Mumbai have been delayed. Heavy to very heavy rains have been forecast around Gujarat and the Konkan coast. Mumbai, Mangalore and Surat are the major cities on the cyclone path.
Heavy rains are predicted between 1500-1700 hrs in Mumbai.
The Met Department said on its website: "The system is likely to intensify into a cyclone and move in a northerly direction for some time more, and then north-northeastwards and cross the south Gujarat and north Maharashtra coast between Mahuva and Dahanu by the early hours of November 12."
Cyclonic storm 'Phyan' will hit South Gujarat and North Maharashtra by late this evening following a deep depression in the South East and adjoining Central Arabian Sea and fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea, the weather office said.
The Depression, which developed yesterday, intensified into a cyclone early this morning and the system is likely to move North northeastwards and cross South Gujarat and North Maharashtra coast between Alibag (Maharashtra) and Valsad (Gujarat) by late this evening or night, the latest bulletin from the weather office said.
The sea will be very rough along and off Maharashtra and South Gujarat Coast and fishermen have been warned against venturing along the Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat coasts, it said.
Cyclonic storm over East Central Arabian Sea moved Northwards and lay centred at 0530 hours today over same area near latitude 16.0 degree North and longitude 71.5 degree East about 250 kilometers West northwest of Goa and 350 kms South southwest of Mumbai and 620 kms South southwest of Surat in Gujarat.
Sqaully winds reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph are likely along and off Maharashtra and South Gujarat coast during, Met Office said.
