The Hindu Business Line : Brewing cyclone may toy with peninsular coast

There is growing consensus among various international models about the brewing cyclone in the Bay of Bengal moving initially in a north-northwest direction towards India’s southeast coast (Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh).

But the strong system, to be called Nargis as per the tropical cyclones naming protocol, is seen taking a recurve from just off the Tamil Nadu coast and heading back towards the central Bay on its way to making a landfall on the Myanmar-Thailand coast around May 1.

The recurvature is seen as being mandated by a westerly trough drifting in from India’s northwest, and would act as the steering current for the system.

Growing in strength

The longer stay over the warm Bay waters would afford the system the window it needs to accelerate and grow in strength before exploding in a burst of high winds and heavy torrents over the Myanmar coast. The month of May sees the Bay of Bengal go into a trance announcing the arrival of pre-monsoon climes in the region.

Model predictions also showed that the westerly trough dipping into the northwest Arabian Sea might just scoop up the moisture needed to rustle up a cyclonic circulation, which may later slither into the Gujarat coast. This could also help bring down the mercury to some extent.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the upper air cyclonic circulation presently lying over south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal was already causing widespread moderate to rather heavy rainfall over Andaman and Nicobar islands. This activity was likely to continue for another 48 hours.

According to numerical weather predictions, the system would settle as a low pressure area during the next two days. The warm waters, less wind shear and good divergence at the top of the formation will help the system to concentrate into a low. Its protracted journey towards the southeast coast of India would see it grow in stages, but it will rachet up in strength in double time after it recurves and travels towards the Myanmar-Thailand coast.

More Stories on : Climate & Weather

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Govt holding consultations on loan waiver scheme

Govt should maximise kharif crop output

Market intervention

Automatic weather stations

Brewing cyclone may toy with peninsular coast

Costlier food, steel drive up inflation rate to 7.33%

Markfed to raise Rs 500 cr for purchase of fertilisers

Weather woes hit areca output

Spot rubber prices hit Rs 115 a kg

Tea exports may increase 20 million kg this fiscal

Mixed trend at Kochi tea auction

PM hopeful of higher grains procurement

‘28% of area under cotton in Gujarat using illegal seeds’

Wheat production likely to rise 7%