Tropical Cyclone Mocha Hits Myanmar

Tropical Cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar on Sunday morning. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Cyclone Mocha was located at latitude 20.5°N and longitude 93.0°E which put it about 20 miles (30 km) north-northeast of Sittwe, Myanmar. Mocha was moving toward the northeast at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 195 m.p.h. (315 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 919 mb.

The center of powerful Tropical Cyclone Mocha made landfall on the coast of Myanmar near Sittwe on Sunday morning. Mocha was near its peak intensity at the time of landfall. A circular eye with a diameter of 20 miles (32 km) was present at the center of Mocha’s circulation. A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Tropical Cyclone Mocha.

Tropical Cyclone Mocha intensified to the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale at the time of landfall. Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 40 miles (65 km) from the center of Mocha’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Tropical Cyclone Mocha was 33.2. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 14.7 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.9. Tropical Cyclone Mocha was similar in size and intensity to Hurricane Michael when Michael hit Northwest Florida in 2018. Tropical Cyclone Mocha was capable of causing regional severe damage.

Tropical Cyclone Mocha will move around the western end of a high pressure system that extends from the Western North Pacific Ocean to Southeast Asia. The high pressure system will steer Mocha toward the northeast during the next 24 hours. Tropical Cyclone Mocha will bring very strong winds and locally heavy rain to Myanmar. The strong winds and heavy rain are likely to cause severe damage. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations. Mocha could also cause a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) along portions of the coast where the wind blows the water toward the shore. Tropical Cyclone Mocha will also bring gusty winds and heavy rain to eastern Bangladesh.