Cyclone Dana expected to recurve after landfall on Odisha coast: IMD
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-10-24 07:58 GMT
Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Dana, the severe storm that is steadily advancing towards the Odisha coast, is expected to make landfall late tonight or early Friday morning. Following landfall, the cyclone is likely to recurve slightly towards the west and southwest, according to meteorological predictions.
The recurvature is expected to occur shortly after landfall, bringing rain to southern Odisha around October 26, informed Manorama Mohanty, director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, on Thursday.
Despite the predicted change in the cyclone’s path, the landfall location and wind speed — forecasted to be between 100 and 110 km/h — remain unchanged, Mohanty confirmed.
In an update to the media, Mohanty stated that the storm was located approximately 260 km southeast of Paradip, 290 km south-southeast of Dhamra, and 350 km south-southeast of Sagar Island as of Thursday afternoon.
“Cyclone Dana intensified into a severe cyclonic storm around midnight and has been moving northwestward at a speed of 12 km/h over the past six hours. Currently, it is centered over the north-central Bay of Bengal, around 260 km southeast of Paradip and 290 km south-southeast of Dhamra,” she said.
The cyclone is expected to continue moving northwestward, crossing the northern Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island, close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamra, between midnight on October 24 and early morning on October 25. “While crossing, wind speeds will reach around 100 to 110 km/h,” she added.
Mohanty also warned of heavy rainfall, particularly in Bhubaneswar, where wind speeds are expected to increase overnight.
A red alert has been issued for the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and Jajpur, which could see the strongest impact of the storm. Cuttack district is also forecasted to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.
Additionally, an orange warning has been issued for the districts of Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, and Keonjhar, while a yellow warning is in place for Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Boudh, Kandhamal, and Ganjam.
Reports from Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and Bhadrak districts indicate that many areas have already experienced heavy rains in the past few hours. Hundreds of trees have been uprooted, blocking major roads. Fire services personnel are working to clear the roads by removing the fallen trees.
What is Recurvature?
Recurvature refers to a change in a cyclone's path. Typically, cyclones follow a westward track (zonal flow). However, when a cyclone shifts towards a northward direction (meridional flow) and then back to an eastward path, this change is called recurvature. If the change in direction is sudden and exceeds 60 degrees, it is termed abrupt recurvature.