Residents of Gujarat and surrounding regions have been urged to stay updated on weather advisories and take necessary precautions. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and will provide further updates as the system progresses.
The western coast of India is bracing for severe weather conditions as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed the formation of a deep depression over the Arabian Sea near Gujarat. This system, which has been moving slowly westward, is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Friday, potentially bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the region.
According to the IMD, the deep depression, which has been hovering over Saurashtra and Kutch, moved westward at approximately three kilometers per hour over the past six hours. By noon on Thursday, it was concentrated between Bhuj and Naliya, positioned around 23.7°N and 69.0°E. The IMD forecasts that the system will continue to track west-southwestward, emerging into the Arabian Sea near the coast of Kutch and adjoining Saurashtra. It is anticipated to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm on August 30.
The IMD’s weather bulletin indicates that the storm will likely continue moving nearly west-southwestwards over the northeast Arabian Sea, away from the Indian coast, for the next two days. This movement is expected to reduce the immediate impact on Gujarat’s coastline.
In the interim, Gujarat has been experiencing heavy rainfall due to the deep depression. Skymet Weather reports that areas in Saurashtra and Kutch have been particularly affected, with Naliya recording 301 mm of rainfall and Dwarka measuring 231 mm in the past 24 hours. Other areas such as Okha, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Kandla, and Bhuj have also seen substantial rainfall. The heavy rainfall is expected to taper off as the system moves into the Arabian Sea.
ASNA
The IMD has issued warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall in coastal Gujarat on Thursday and Friday. The weather department predicts that wind speeds in the affected regions could reach up to 65 kmph over south Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch. Additionally, strong winds of around 60 kmph are expected to impact the north Maharashtra coast over the next two days. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts until August 31 due to these hazardous conditions.
From a meteorological perspective, Skymet Weather provides further insights into the system’s development. It says that the deep depression, currently characterized by winds of 50-55 kmph around its periphery, is anticipated to become a mild cyclonic storm with wind speeds ranging between 62-88 kmph. The system’s cloud structure and warm sea surface temperatures (28-29°C) are conducive to its intensification. However, as it moves westward, it will encounter cooler sea surface temperatures, which may weaken the storm.
The potential cyclonic storm, if it reaches the cyclonic storm classification, will be named ‘ASNA,’ as proposed by Pakistan. Notably, this storm would be an outlier for the southwest monsoon season, as cyclones in the Indian seas are relatively rare during this period. The last storm of the season, Cyclone REMAL, struck the Bangladesh-West Bengal border in late May 2024.
Residents of Gujarat and surrounding regions are urged to stay updated on weather advisories and take necessary precautions. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and will provide further updates as the system progresses.
As Gujarat begins to recover from the impacts of the deep depression, the evolving weather system underscores the need for vigilance and preparedness in the face of changing climatic conditions.
