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Cyclone Tauktae building in Arabian Sea has Pune on yellow alert for rain, winds
PUNE Pune received light rain on Friday, a possible foretaste of what is to come in the next few days, based on the fact that as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, this is the third consecutive year a cyclonic storm is hovering over the Arabian Sea close to the Indian coast
PUNE Pune received light rain on Friday, a possible foretaste of what is to come in the next few days, based on the fact that as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, this is the third consecutive year a cyclonic storm is hovering over the Arabian Sea close to the Indian coast.
Pune, on Friday, reported 0.9 millimetres of rainfall in Shivajinagar and traces of rain at Lohegaon and Pashan.
IMD has issued a forecast of moderate rain for Pune city (15.6mm – 64.4 mm) on May 15 and May 16, with isolated heavy (64.5mm-115.5mm) rainfall likely in the ghat areas. Thunder, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are also likely on May 15 and May 16.
“We have issued a yellow alert which means that citizens and authorities have to be alert. There may be a partial reduction in visibility, and slippery roads during periods of intense rain spell in some areas. There can also be a major disruption of traffic flow. Moderate water logging in low-lying areas adjacent to river banks is also possible, with a possibility of trees falling/uprooting on May 15 and May 16,” said Anupam Kashyapi, IMD.
He further added that there is a possibility of minor landslides in the elevated hilly areas near Pune on May 15 and May 16.
Cyclone watch
In 2019, Cyclone Vayu moved parallel to the coast and then later weakened just before landfall in Gujarat. In 2020, Nisarga hit Maharashtra in May. And this year, a low-pressure area has a depression and later is forecast develop into Cyclone Tauktae in the Arabian Sea.
Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of Meteorology, IMD, said that the forecast as of now is that the cyclone will travel towards Gujarat.
“The exact path and intensity will get clearer in the next 24 hours. We have issued a high alert in Gujarat. In Maharashtra the impact will be only of strong winds and rainfall,” said Mohapatra.
As of Friday, the low pressure area over Lakshadweep and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea has moved east-north-eastwards, and concentrated into a depression.
“It is very likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 12 hours (Friday evening) and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours (May 15 morning). It is very likely to reach near the Gujarat coast by May 18 morning,” said IMD officials.
Vineet Singh, researcher at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), who is currently studying cyclones, said, “It is related to the wind pattern in the mid- to upper-atmosphere, say at a height of five to 10km, which governs a cyclone track in general.”
“In the last 40 years, for the first time, four consecutive years (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021) will have a cyclone in the Arabian Sea, in the pre-monsoon season. If this cyclone hits Gujarat with the least cyclonic storm strength, then for the first time since 1980, a cyclone will hit Gujarat in May, with strength of wind speed at least 65kmph as per data by the weather department,” said Singh.
Pre-monsoon cyclones near the Indian west coast
2019: Cyclone Vayu moved parallel to the coast and then later weakened just before landfall in Gujarat.
2020: Nisarga hit Maharashtra in May.
2021: Cyclone Tauktae, a low pressure area has concentrated into a depression and later will develop a cyclone. It is likely to move towards Gujarat.
Source: IMD
Monsoon over Kerala likely on May 31
As per IMD, this year, the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala is likely to be on May 31. IMD said it is difficult to say when the monsoon will reach Maharashtra. Conditions will get clear after the dissipation of the cyclonic storm currently over the Arabian Sea, said officials.
