Cyclone Hamoon intensifies into severe cyclonic storm, likely to reach very severe category in next 6 hours: IMD  

The path of Cyclone Hamoon as predicted by IMD

The cyclonic storm “Hamoon” that has formed over the Bay of Bengal has rapidly intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Earlier, Hamoon was a Deep Depression before intensifying into a Cyclonic Storm on October 23, 5.30 pm. Within a few hours at 2.30 am on October 24, 2023 it gained strength to form a severe cyclonic storm.

The IMD warned that the system is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next six hours.

If sustained maximum wind speed increases to 28-33 knots, it is a deep depression. When the maximum average surface wind speed is in the range of 34 to 47 knots, it is called a cyclonic storm. And when it reaches 48 to 63 knots (89 to 117 kmph), it is a severe cyclonic storm.

Cyclone Hamoon underwent rapid intensification in the last 24 hours and intensified from 30 knots to 70 knots (1 knot is equal to 1.86 km per hour). This is an increase in windspeed of 40 knots in 24 hours, Vineet Kumar Singh, a research scientist at Jeju National University, South Korea Tej noted on X.

“This is only the fourth time that a cyclone reached Category 1 cyclone intensity in the Bay in the post-monsoon season during El Nino [a climate pattern associated with warming],” he explained. Category 1 storms have wind speeds of 64-82 knots and are associated with very dangerous winds that produce some damage.

The system is about 210 km east-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 270 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal), and 350 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh).

The storm is predicted to weaken gradually while moving northeastwards and cross Bangladesh’s coast between Khepupara and Chattogram around the evening of October 25 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 65 to 75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, as visualised by website Windy, shows that the windspeed has reached 90 kmph.

Meanwhile, the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Tej” that formed over the Arabian Sea, crossed Yemen’s coast and weakened into a severe cyclonic storm over coastal Yemen.

The IMD said it is very likely that the system would move further north-westward and weaken into a cyclonic storm during the next six hours.

Previously in 2018, two cyclones — Luban and Titli — simultaneously formed in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

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