Tag Archives: Tropical Cyclon 05B

Tropical Cyclone 05B Forms over Bay of Bengal

Tropical Cyclone 05B formed over the Bay of Bengal on Thursday night. At 10:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone 05B was located at latitude 14.4°N and longitude 85.8°E which put it about 360 miles (580 km) southeast of Visakhapatnam, India. Tropical Cyclone 05B was moving toward the northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1001 mb.

A low pressure system over the central Bay of Bengal strengthened on Thursday night into Tropical Cyclone 05B. The distribution of thunderstorms around Tropical Cyclone 05B was asymmetrical. The strongest thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern half of the tropical cyclone. Bands in the southern half of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. The thunderstorms in the northern half of the circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the tropical cyclone. The distribution of wind speeds was also asymmetrical. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) in the northern half of the tropical cyclone. The winds in the southern half of the circulation were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Cyclone 05B will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. The tropical cyclone will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move under the western end of an upper level ridge over the Bay of Bengal. The ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of the tropical cyclone. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. Tropical Cyclone 05B is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department will likely give the tropical cyclone a name on Friday.

Tropical Cyclone 05B will move around the western end of a high pressure system over southeast Asia. The high pressure system will steer the tropical cyclone toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone 05B will approach the coast of India northeast of Visakhapatnam in 24 hours. It will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to the coastal parts of northeastern Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. Tropical Cyclone 05B will move more slowly after it nears the coast and it could turn toward the northeast during the weekend.