Former Tropical Cyclone Mandous Moves over Arabian Sea

The circulation of former Tropical Cyclone Mandous moved over the Arabian Sea on Tuesday. At 1:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Mandous was located at latitude 12.6°N and longitude 71.8°E which put it about 215 miles (345 km) west of Mangaluru, India. Mandous was moving toward the west at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

After making landfall on the coast of southeastern India between Puducherry and Chennai on Friday, Tropical Cyclone Mandous moved westward across southern India during the weekend. The circulation of former Tropical Cyclone Mandous emerged over the Arabian Sea west of India on Tuesday. The circulation around Mandous was still well organized. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of circulation. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north and west of the former tropical cyclone.

Former Tropical Cyclone Mandous will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Mandous will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move under the northwestern part of an upper level ridge over southern Asia and the Arabian Sea. The ridge will produce northwesterly winds will blow toward the top of Mandous’ circulation. Those wind will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Former Tropical Cyclone Mandous could strengthen during the next 24 hours. Northeasterly winds in the lower levels are transporting drier air from Asia over the western Arabian Sea. Mandous is likely to weaken when it reaches the mass of drier air later this week.

Former Tropical Cyclone Mandous will move south of a high pressure system over southern Asia and the northern Arabian Sea. The high pressure system will steer Mandous toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track, former Tropical Cyclone Mandous will move farther away from the coast of southwest India.