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Odisha, Bengal brace for Dana
The sea surface temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius over central and north Bay of Bengal. Officials said there are chances that Dana’s intensity may increase further, marginally before landfall.
Cyclone Dana, which intensified into a severe cyclone on Wednesday night, continued its movement towards Odisha and West Bengal and the severe cyclonic storm is likely to make the landfall along the coasts of the two states early on Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.
The weather system, severe cyclonic storm Dana, over the Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards and lay centred about 60 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 80 km south-southeast of Dhamra (Odisha) and 180 km south of Sagar Island (West Bengal) on Thursday afternoon, the Met department said at 10:15pm. At the time, its wind speed was 105 to 115kmph gusting to 125 kmph.
“It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamra during midnight of 24th (Thursday) to morning of 25th October (Friday) as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120kmph,” IMD said.
The weather system, sized around 370km, is under continuous surveillance of the Doppler Weather Radar at coastal city, Paradip, officials said, adding that on Thursday afternoon, it was traversing warm waters over northwest Bay of Bengal.
The sea surface temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius over central and north Bay of Bengal. Officials said there are chances that Dana’s intensity may increase further, marginally before landfall.
According to the IMD bulletin, its peak wind speed may be 105-115 gusting to 125 kmph on Thursday evening.
“The fact that severe cyclone Dana had a shorter travel time over sea may have helped prevent intensification to extreme category. The cyclone developed very close to the coast and hence its life is short. Yet, it’s a severe cyclone. It has increased intensity mainly because warm Sea Surface Temperature (SST),” a senior IMD official said. “Over north Bay of Bengal, the temperatures are higher even at depth so that helps the system intensify. Dry air from land will also help counter the intensity of Dana when landfall begins.”
The official further said that there are two large rivers — Baitarini and Brahmani — near the landfall zone. “There is a large delta area so landfall process may take relatively longer,” the official added.
“Enhanced poleward outflow is seen in mid latitude westerlies, high SST, poleward outflow, moderate wind shear would support further intensification of the system. Most of the models are indicating further intensification of cyclonic storm into severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal,” the tropical cyclone advisory by the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre said.
The Met department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in both Odisha and West Bengal on Thursday and Friday. During the same period, IMD forecast said, extremely heavy rainfall (≥ 21 cm) is likely to be recorded at isolated places over Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsingpur Kendujhar, Jajpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Khorda and Puri districts of Odisha as well as South & North 24 Parganas, East and West Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and Bankura districts of Gangetic West Bengal.
