Thiruvananthapuram: In 2019, it was Vayu. In 2020, Nisarga. And in 2021, Taukte. In all these years, these powerful cyclones over the Arabian Sea had weakened the southwest monsoon showers over Kerala in June.
This time, it is Biparjoy (pronounced ‘Biporjoy’). The Indian Meteorological Department, in its late evening bulletin on Tuesday, confirmed the formation of the cyclone.
The deep depression over the southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of 4 kmph during the last six hours, and according to the IMD bulletin, has “intensified into a cyclonic storm “Biparjoy”.” It was in its 8.30 pm bulletin that the IMD first used the name ‘Biparjoy’.
The cyclone now lies about 920 km west-southwest of Goa, 1,050 km southwest of Mumbai, and approximately 1,500 km west-northwest of Kerala. Weather experts say the cyclone, because of its extremely low pressure, could draw the moisture-laden south-westerlies away from the Kerala coast and further delay the onset of the monsoon.
The IMD bulletin said that the cyclone was likely to move northwards and intensify gradually into a very severe cyclonic storm over the east-central Arabian Sea, with a maximum sustained surface wind speed of 105-115 gusting to 140 km per hour, in the next two days. According to the IMD, the cyclone is likely to persist till June 11.
On June 7, the sea condition is likely to be “high to very high” over the east-central Arabian Sea and adjoining west-central and southeast Arabian. “Sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over south Arabian Sea, along and off north Kerala-Karnataka-Goa coasts, Lakshadweep-Maldives areas,” the bulletin said.
On June 8, the sea condition is likely to be “very high to phenomenal” over the central Arabian Sea and adjoining south Arabian and it is likely to become “phenomenal” from the evening of June 8 over the same region. However, by this time it would have moved away from the Kerala coast.
