Strong tropical cyclone to threaten eastern India later this week
A significant tropical cyclone threatens to take aim at India this week.
A budding tropical system may ramp up into a severe cyclonic storm during the second half of the week. It could become the strongest cyclone in two years to slam the eastern coast of India.
Once the cyclone develops, it will be given the name Vardah.
“There remains uncertainty in the track of the storm, so residents from Ongole to Kolkata should continue to monitor the situation,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty said.
The cyclone could unleash damaging winds and flooding rain over a part of this area, according to Douty. Dangerous seas will also pound and inundate the coast.
The budding tropical system will first take shape as it tracks from the southern Andaman Sea to the Bay of Bengal this weekend.
“Conducive environmental conditions, including light wind shear and warm water, across the Bay of Bengal will allow the cyclone to strengthen this week,” Douty said.
Wind shear is the changing of speed and direction of winds at different layers of the atmosphere. Strong wind shear can prevent tropical development or shred apart mature cyclones.
Rapid strengthening could even occur, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls.
As the cyclone develops, flooding rain squalls will spread over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands through the middle of the week.
Rain, wind and seas will increase as the cyclone further intensifies over the Bay of Bengal this week, creating dangers for shipping interests before the cyclone targets the eastern coast of India late in the week.
Landfall is expected to occur between Saturday morning and Sunday night along the eastern coast of India.
Areas from Machilipatnam to Puri appear the most likely to endure significant impacts from the cyclone.
Rainfall amounts in excess of 150 mm (6 inches) and winds over 100 km/h (62 mph) are possible near where the cyclone makes landfall.
Rainfall associated with former Tropical Cyclone Nada lashed parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh last week causing flooding; however, these areas will receive little or no rainfall from the new tropical threat.
Despite the recent rainfall from Nada, Tamil Nadu remains in a drought with rainfall less than 30 percent of normal since October.
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