Cyclone Sitrang has already formed in the Bay of Bengal, and its impact on the Indian mainland — particularly the country’s eastern, northeastern, and southern parts — is now imminent. However, certain states would bear a disproportionate share of the damage, as they face a reduced Diwali celebration as a result of the rainy weather.
Cyclone Sitrang is forecasted to make landfall near the West Bengal-Bangladesh border. According to the most recent India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin, the system is currently a low-pressure area over the north Andaman Sea and its neighboring territories in the south Andaman Sea and the southeast Bay of Bengal.
It is forecasted to move west-northwest from here, condensing into a depression across east-central and neighboring southeast BoB around October 22, and then becoming a deep depression on October 23.
It will then recurve north and become a Cyclonic Storm across west-central and neighboring east-central BoB by next Monday, October 24. Once the system has strengthened into a cyclone, it will be named Sitrang.
Then, on October 25, it will gradually move north-northeastward, skirting the Odisha coast and approaching the West Bengal-Bangladesh beaches.
The forecasts for the landfall site have remained conflicting between models. The ECMWF expects Sitrang will make landfall as a Cyclonic Storm (63-88 kmph) near the West Bengal-Bangladesh beaches by Wednesday afternoon, while the GFS predicts the storm will make landfall as a Severe Cyclonic Storm early Tuesday morning over the coast of eastern Bangladesh (89-117 kmph).
Sitrang’s anticipated influence on East and Northeast India
The wet onshore winds wrapping around Cyclone Sitrang will begin to impact the weather in the region surrounding the Bay even before it makes landfall over India and/or Bangladesh, according to The Weather Channel’s forecast team.
The International Meteorological Department forecasted widespread light to moderate rain with isolated heavy rain (64.5 mm-115.5 mm) for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from Friday to Sunday, October 21-23.
The eastern states of Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal appear to be in for an explosive start to Diwali (albeit perhaps not in the way they would have preferred), and the entire festival week may remain wet.
They can anticipate scattered to moderately widespread showers with isolated heavy to very heavy downpours (64.5 mm-204 mm), thunderstorms, and lightning, as well as possibly more, on Monday and Tuesday (October 24-25). On Wednesday, the precipitation across Gangetic West Bengal could intensify into extremely heavy rain (October 26). (204 mm).
The northeastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura may have scattered heavy rains on Monday and Tuesday, with isolated extremely heavy showers possible on Wednesday.
Weather warnings
In light of these forecasts, the IMD has issued an orange alert (‘be prepared for inclement weather’) for Monday and Tuesday in Odisha and West Bengal. These notifications may become more widespread and enhanced as the week goes on.
Winds in the Bay of Bengal are anticipated to reach 40-50 km/h in the south on Friday, 45-50 km/h in the north, east, and central BoB on Saturday, and 50-60 km/h with gusts to 70 km on Sunday, 60-70 km/h with gusts to 80 km on Monday, and 65-75 km/h with gusts to 85 km on Tuesday. As a result, fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the sea while the cyclone remains active.
As the week progresses, the IMD will provide more information on the region’s weekly forecasts, as well as specific updates on how Cyclone Sitrang will move inside the Bay and where it will make landfall.
Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Pramila Mallick, stated that all district and coastal region officials have been instructed to be prepared for the impending disaster. On Monday, the system is predicted to move parallel to the state’s coast, bringing heavy rain.
The North Indian Ocean cyclone season in 2022 is a recurring occurrence in the annual cycle of tropical storm development. The North Indian Ocean cyclone season has no official borders, however, cyclones tend to form between April and December, with a peak from May to November. Traditionally, these dates delimit the time of year when the bulk of tropical cyclones forms in the northern Indian Ocean.
Continue to read more latest news
193 total views, 2 views today