Amazing storm activity in the Bay of Bengal in Oct2020

 Although we had minimal rain thus far in Oct 2020, the Bay of Bengal saw a cauldron of activity with numerous storms forming and moving towards peninsular India giving record breaking rainfall in Hyderabad.

 

Earlier, we reported and tracked these storms regularly in this blog in a series called 'STH Stormwatch' but now since we use a WhatsApp group (Hazard Alerts) to disburse information on storms we have discontinued the series.
However, in the interest of recording some of these storms and tremendous activity that took place in the Bay of Bengal I am placing a collage of images and information on the subject most of which we used in 'Hazard Alerts'.
To a lay person like me, I was surprised to find that many of the weather systems in the Bay which affected us had there genesis in massive tropical storms which brewed up in the Pacific and swept across Indo-China. The remnants of these storms intensified in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian sea.

 Weather chart of that time and satellite imagery of the activity in the Bay of Bengal is placed below:

 

Almost the same scenario was repeated around 20Oct except that the depression which formed off the coast of Odisha/Andhra Pradesh tracked NNE and gave heavy rain to the north eastern states and Bangladesh

 

As I write Typhoon 'SAUDEL' has formed in the South China Sea and will again move westwards and by the next week MAY form yet another low pressure in the Bay

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya

STH Stormwatch : Depression in the Bay of Bengal (21Oct2016)

Updates will be posted as necessary

Update 1 (JTWC IR image of two storms in our region)

Predicted storm track (shown in RED) is an approximation (NOT accurate!).

Update 2 (23Oct2016)

Update 3 (23Oct2016) - IMD predicted track

 
Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH Stormwatch (2016) :- First Low Pressure Area (LOPAR) of the year forms in the Bay (and updates)

Excerpt of IMD Weather Inference of 14May2016 (Night)

"A low pressure area has formed over equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal. It is likely to become well marked low pressure area and further concentrate into a depression during next 48 hours."

Websites and Links for watching/tracking severe weather  
1. Satellite images from IMD : IR and other images are available from IMD including animations. The images are updated every 30mins.

2. Cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean :- see here

3. JTWC for tracks and images :- see here

4. Updated IR Imagery for aviation :- click on ICAO Area 'E' 
5. Worldwide Lightning location network :- Indicates lightning ie severe weather locations
6. STH stormwatch ie this blog.

Update 1 (15May2016- evening)
The above system has concentrated into a well marked LOPAR. It is likely to move northwestwards, become a deep depression and cross the Tamil Nadu coast between around 17May2016 (morning) - source

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH Stormwatch : Last update on storm for 02Aug2015

1.In the absence of more detailed information from IMD websites (which seem to be on an extended weekend holiday) through the day , I have placed above :-
a. Satellite image from Nepal MFD which shows the storm position at approx 8.00pm IST.
b. Image of lightning (blue dots - associated severe weather in thundershowers and rain) in the entire south Asian region from the University of Washington at approximately the same time.
The lightning position in India coincides with the storm position.( The red stars in the lower image indicate position of the ground stations for lightning detection)
2. The absence of clouding from south Bengal as compared to previous image should come as a huge relief to most of us.

Praful Rao,
Kalimpong,
Dist Darjeeling

STH Stormwatch : Update on storm in Bay of Bengal (17Nov2012)

On 13Nov2012 STH reported the formation of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal; today the storm has intensified into a "well-marked low with an associated cyclonic circulation upto 3.6km".
The storm which is also being reported by the U.S Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center is likely to intensify further.

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For anyone interested in knowing how severe weather systems are classified :-

Classification of cyclonic disturbances and tropical cyclones

1. Low or Low pressure area

2. Depression or tropical depression

3. Deep depression

4. Cyclonic storm

5. Severe cyclonic storm

6. Very severe cyclonic storm

7. Super cyclonic storm

Praful Rao