Asani has intensified but landfall unlikely, says IMD
The cyclone formed over southeast Bay of Bengal will move northwestwards till the night of May 10 and reach west central and off north Andhra, Odisha coasts
NEW DELHI: Cyclone Asani, which formed over southeast Bay of Bengal on Sunday morning, intensified into a ‘severe’ cyclonic storm by the evening, hurtling towards the east coast at 95-105 kmph, gusting to 115 kmph, the India Meteorological Department said.
It is, however, unlikely to make landfall. It will move northwestwards till the night of May 10 and reach west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.
It would then recurve northnortheastwards and move towards northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast, the weather office said on Sunday.
Asani, which means wrath in Sinhalese, moved northwestwards on Sunday and lay centered about 500 km west of Port Blair. “We expect Asani to intensify further and reach its maximum intensification on Monday morning. The cyclone is likely to reach a point about 130 km off Vishakhapatnam on May 10 and then begin recurving towards Odisha coast,” said Ananda Kumar Das, in-charge of
the weather bureau’s cyclone monitoring division.
“It may weaken gradually because dry westerly winds are going to enter the cyclone and sap its intensity when it’s nearing the coast on May 11. It will not touch Odisha coast either,” he added.sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal is about 1-2.5 degree Celsius above normal, which is warmer than usual and can support intensification of cyclones, according to Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
“We need to see how it fares as it moves towards the coast,” Koll said.
“As the cyclone moves along the east coast of India, sea surface
temperatures there are relatively subdued, and the wind shear is also relatively less favourable for cyclone intensification.”
Light to moderate rainfall is likely at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal Odisha and adjoining areas of north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday evening, the weather office said.
On May 11, heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha and adjoining coastal areas of north Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
On Monday, gale wind speed reaching 105-115 kmph, gusting to 125 kmph, is likely over central Bay of Bengal. High winds are expected to prevail till Thursday.
The sea is expected to be very rough and the Met office has advised fishermen to not venture into central parts of Bay of Bengal on Monday and Tuesday and over northwest Bay of Bengal from Tuesday to Thursday.
It has advised against fishing and tourism; avoid going to areas that often face water logging; avoid staying in vulnerable structures, and regulate offshore activities in affected states.