Very severe cyclone Nilofar is expected to weaken a round as a severe cyclone during the course of the day and continue to weaken on the way to Gujarat coast.

India Met Department now expects that it would weaken three times over and become a depression near the coast by Friday night/Saturday morning.

Speed breakers

Earlier, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts had said that Nilofar was running into a series of speed breakers along the home stretch.

The main one is the overarching western disturbance that caused the cyclone to divert course mid-way towards Gujarat.

The high winds from the disturbance in the upper levels are shearing away the top of the storm tower and dispersing the clouds, compromising its strength and structure.

The westerly winds will continue to nibble away at the thunder cloud formation around the storm structure even as it is dragged towards the coast.

Threat off

In this manner, the threat to the Gujarat coast posed by the erstwhile very severe cyclone that briefly rivalled the peak strength of cyclone Hudhud, has blown away.

In fact, the European Centre suspects that the storm could die out over the sea itself.

If one were to extrapolate the India Met Department assessment, it could become a conventional low-pressure area at the time of landfall.

Moderate showers

The Met has forecast only moderate showers over north Gujarat with isolated heavy falls over Kutch and Saurashtra districts and the north Gujarat region.

Squally weather will prevail over the Gujarat coast on Friday. Sea condition will be rough to very rough during this period.

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