Storm Maha might hit Gujarat coast after November 6, the picture would be more clear after two days: Met Director

November 01, 2019

Ahmedabad: The severe cyclonic storm Maha in the Arabian sea might hit Gujarat coast and cause heavy rainfall after November 6, IMD center Director here Jayanta Sarkar said today.

He said that so far it seems that Maha could hit Gujarat coast as a cyclonic storm with the wind speed of 6o to 70 kmph but the real picture would be clear only after two more days of observation.

SCS MAHA centred near 15.2°N/70.5°E at 1130IST of today. To intensify further. Depression over WC Arabian Sea centered near 16.0°N/58.7°E at 1130IST pic.twitter.com/lwNQjhx79v

— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) November 1, 2019

Sarkar said that while the other storm in the Arabian sea Kyarr has weakened and would soon turn in to a low pressure area only, Maha was intensifying and contrary to the the earlier estimates it seem that it would change direction from November 6 morning and move towards Gujarat coast.

‘It might also cause heavy rain in South Gujarat and Saurashtra region but we should wait for two more days for a more clearer picture of the scenario and its movements,’ Sarkar said.

Meanwhile Maha continued to move north westwards with a speed of 24kmph during past 06 hours, and lay centered at 1130 hrs IST of today, near latitude 15.2°N and longitude 70.5°E,about 640km south of Veraval (Gujarat), 530km north-northwest of Mangaluru( Karnataka)and 350 km west-southwest of Goa.

#Kyarr has weakened to a depression & will become a well-marked low Friday evening. #Maha will strengthen to an extremely severe cyclonic storm late Friday. Maha will track NW before stalling early next week then possibly turning back toward #Gujarat around midweek. pic.twitter.com/RVd2cCnlke

— Jason Nicholls (@jnmet) November 1, 2019

It is very likely to move northwestwards during next 24hours,west-northwestwards during 02nd to 04th November and re-curve east-northeastwards towards south Gujarat coast thereafter. It is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm over east-central Arabian Sea during next 24hours, a met bulletin today said.

Notably, Gujarat has already seen over 144% of rain this year and even after the withdrawal of monsoon on October 14, it has seen over 2 % rain under the influence of the developments in the Arabian sea.