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

Rainfall data (May2014) and tracks/timeline of a depression (22May-28May2014)

• As per IMD, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim is running 27% deficient in rainfall for the period 01Mar-28May2014 (Slide 1).
• Actual rainfall figures, date-wise are given in Slide 2.
• In our 'Storm Watch' series, STH reported a storm in the Bay of Bengal on 20May2014 and tracked it upto 28May2014 when it reached the Darjeeling-Sikkim Himalaya resulting in a 12hr spell of rain in our region. Luckily, the rainfall though continuous, was not heavy.Tracks and rainfall associated with the disturbance can be seen in Slides 3 & 4.
• No landslide fatality is reported in May2014 and all landslides in this region were confined to North Sikkim and along roads.
  
  
  Praful Rao,
  Kalimpong,
  Dist Darjeeling