The Hindu Business Line : `Durian' remnant may impact Bay of Bengal

Tropical Storm Durian has spun furiously to become a super typhoon (a destructive Category 4 system) and is approaching to make a landfall over the Philippines early Thursday morning (Indian Standard Time).

MAY INTENSIFY

According to a severe weather warning issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Durian (named `Reming' locally) packed maximum sustained winds of 190 kph at its centre, gusting to 225 kph.

The system was moving laterally in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 24 kph.

The landfall will expectedly weaken Durian, but it is forecast to glide into the South China Sea as a Category 2 storm.

It would undergo another round of intensification before slamming ashore over the Vietnamese coast.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) has maintained its outlook for Durian, which it says is expected to keep moving west-northwest and possibly impact the Bay of Bengal waters by mid-week next week.

In anticipation, a broad trough of low is seen shaping up in the Bay around December 6.

MONSOON STAKES

Forecasters are hoping that any remnant circulation left behind by Typhoon Durian would be able to build itself into a stronger system over the Bay and favourably impact the northeast monsoon that has lately hit a lean patch.

Meanwhile, the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) said in its update that the subdued rainfall activity in the southern peninsula would hold for another four to five days. In north and northwest India, day and night temperatures have fallen by two to three deg C below normal.

No significant change in weather is seen likely during the next two to three days.

Model prediction suggests that another cold weather-driving western disturbance will approach Jammu and Kashmir and adjoining areas by early next week.

Under its influence, scattered to fairly widespread snowfall/rainfall is likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Haryana (including Delhi) and west Uttar Pradesh.