Annual Report 2009-2010 - Ministry Of Earth Sciences

Meghalaya on 26 th and 27 th May. Apart from
India and Bangladesh, Nepal also received
heavy rain due to northward movement of
the system.
v) A storm surge of 3m (10ft) and 2m affected
western regions of Bangladesh, Sunderban area,
respectively submerging numerous villages.
Cyclonic storm “PHYAN” over the Arabian Sea
(9-12 November, 2009)
The cyclonic storm “PHYAN” developed over the
southeast Arabian Sea in association with active
northeast monsoon surge. A low pressure area
formed over the Comorin area on 7 th November,
2009. It concentrated in to a depression in the
afternoon of 9 th November over southeast and
the adjoining east central Arabian Sea, about
70 km west of Amini Divi. It moved initially in a
north-northwesterly direction till 10 th November
morning and then recurved north-northeastwards.
It intensified into a deep depression
at 0830h IST and into a cyclonic storm ‘PHYAN’ at
2330h IST of 10 th November, 2009. Continuing its
north-north-eastward movement, the cyclonic
storm ‘PHYAN’ crossed the north Maharashtra
coast between Alibag and Mumbai between
1530h and 1630h IST of 11 th November. It moved
then north-eastwards and weakened gradually
into a well marked low pressure area over north
Madhya Maharashtra and neighbourhood at
0530h IST of 12 th November 2009. The cyclone,
‘PHYAN’ moved faster before crossing the coast.
It moved about 450 km in 12 hours between
0530h and 1730h IST of 11 th November, 2009
(about 38 kmph). Widespread rainfall with
isolated heavy to very heavy falls occurred over
Goa, Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra on 10 th
and 11 th . Fairly widespread rainfall also occurred
over the south Gujarat region due to the cyclone
on 11 th . Maximum surface wind was about 60-70
km/h along the Maharashtra coast at the time of
landfall. Though it crossed as a cyclonic storm, it
slightly weakened before the landfall.
Cyclone ‘WARD’ over the Bay of Bengal 10-15
December, 2009
The cyclone ‘WARD’ over the Bay of Bengal
(10-15 December, 2009) formed in association with
an active inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ).
A low pressure area formed over the southeast Bay
of Bengal on 7 th December 2009. It slowly moved
westwards and intensified into a depression on
14 th December afternoon over southwest and
the adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. It further
intensified into a deep depression in the early
morning of 11 th December. It then moved northward
and intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘WARD’ in the
same afternoon. It continued as a cyclonic storm
and moved slowly northward till forenoon of 12 th
December. It then moved west-southwestwards
and weakened into a deep depression at midnight
of 12 th December. Continuing to move in a westsouthwesterly
direction, it crossed the northeast
Sri Lanka coast close to the south of Trincomalee
between 1330h and 1430h IST of 14 th December as a
deep depression. It gradually weakened further into
a well marked low pressure area over Sri Lanka in
the morning, emerged into the Gulf of Mannar as a
low pressure area in the evening of 15 th December
and became less marked in the afternoon of 16 th
December. Cyclone ‘WARD’ followed a rare track,
as it moved initially in a northerly direction and
then moved west-southwestwards across Sri Lanka.
It was a slow moving system, as it travelled at the
average rate of 200 km per day (8 km per hour). It
weakened into deep depression over the sea before
the landfall. In association with the cyclone, the
northeast monsoon was vigorous over coastal Tamil
Nadu and Puducherry during 13-16 th December
2009. Widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to
very heavy falls occurred over this region during
this period.
Average Landfall Forecast Error During 2009
The average landfall forecast errors of cyclonic
storms during 2009 based on the forecast issued
are given in Table 9.1.
56 Ministry of Earth Sciences : Annual Report 2009-10