Tropical Cyclone Nivar Moves along Andhra Pradesh Coast

Tropical Cyclone Nivar moved northward along the coast of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Nivar was located at latitude 14.0°N and longitude 80.7°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km) south-southeast of Nellore, India. Nivar was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.

After making landfall on the southeast coast of India near Puducherry on Wednesday, vertical wind shear blew the upper portion of Tropical Cyclone Nivar west of the surface circulation. An upper level ridge over India produced easterly winds which blew toward the top of Tropical Cyclone Nivar. Those winds caused strong vertical wind shear. The shear was strong enough to blow the upper part of Nivar west of the surface circulation. The upper part of the circulation moved westward across southern India and weakened. The surface circulation moved northward along the southeast coast of India and back over the Bay of Bengal north of Chennai.

Tropical Cyclone Nivar will move through an environment that will be only slightly favorable for intensification during the next few hours. Nivar will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C, while it is over the Bay of Bengal. However, the upper level ridge will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. The shear is likely to prevent Tropical Cyclone Nivar from strengthening.

Tropical Cyclone Nivar will continue to move north along the southeast coast of India for the next few hours. After that time a high pressure system over northern India will turn Nivar toward the west. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone Nivar is forecast to move inland over southern Andhra Pradesh and to move toward Karnataka. Nivar will weaken after the low level circulation moves inland, but it will drop locally heavy rain over southern Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Flash floods could occur in some locations.