1. INTRODUCTION - India Environment Portal

3.4). The maximum wind speed estimated by India Meteorological department for
the super cyclone, which hit Paradeep coast on 29.10.1999, was 260 km/hr.
Table 3.3 Monthly variation of air temperature, rainfall and relative humidity
(Ref: IMD Climatological Tables)
Month
Average
temperature
(°C)
Daily
Max.
Daily
Min.
Average
rainfall
(mm)
Average relative
Humidity
(%)
Morning Evening
January 27.7 15.3 17.6 77 71
February 29.1 18.3 6.5 78 75
March 31.2 22.0 26.7 79 80
April 32.0 24.6 23.5 82 84
May 33.1 25.8 54.3 82 83
June 32.7 26.2 225.7 83 84
July 31.5 25.3 329.3 86 86
August 31.3 25.5 345.9 86 85
September 32.0 25.6 242.9 83 83
October 31.7 24.3 206.3 81 79
November 30.2 20.5 108.7 79 75
December 28.0 15.3 21.7 76 70
3.2.4 Cyclones and Depressions
The formation of storms and depressions is negligible during January – March and
very high during October and November months. Monsoon depressions form in
the head Bay and move towards Orissa coast during SW monsoon season [May-
August]. The initial movement of the cyclone is towards north westerly direction,
but occasionally they change their direction and move in a north easterly direction
(generally referred as recurvature of cyclone). This recurvature of cyclones takes
place during April, May, October and November months. During SW monsoon,
depressions form in the head of Bay of Bengal and move in a westerly/ north
westerly direction. A total of 33 cyclonic storms have crossed the coast within a
radius of 200 km from Paradeep port during the period 1971 to 1995, of which 7
were cyclonic storms. The frequency of occurrence of cyclonic storms is highest
during October. The severe cyclonic storms formed over north-western Bay of
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