Tag Archives: Tropical Cyclone 04A

Tropical Cyclone Forms Southwest of Mumbai

A tropical cyclone formed southwest of Mumbai, India on Thursday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone 04A was located at latitude 15.7°N and longitude 71.3°E which put it about 200 miles (320 km) southwest of Mumbai, India.  It was moving toward the north at 2 m.p.h. (3 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

A distinct low level center of circulation formed within a broad area of low pressure over the Arabian Sea west of India.  Thunderstorms were developing near the low level center.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were forming and the bands began to revolve around the center of circulation.  Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the tropical cyclone.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 105 miles (165 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Cyclone 04A will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 48 to 72 hours.  It will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  The tropical cyclone will move through a region where the upper level wind are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Cyclone 04A will continue to intensify and it is likely to strengthen into the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon within 24 to 36 hours.

Tropical Cyclone 04A will move south of a high pressure system that extends from India across the northern Arabian Sea.  The high will steer the tropical cyclone in a west-northwesterly direction.  On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone 04A should start to move away from India during the next 24 hours.  The tropical cyclone could approach Oman in about five days

Tropical Cyclone 04A Organizes in the Arabian Sea

A center of circulation organized quickly within a broader area of thunderstorms over the Arabian Sea on Wednesday and the system was designated Tropical Cyclone 04A.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Cyclone 04A was located at latitude 13.7°N and longitude 64.0°E which put it about 705 miles east-southeast of Salalah, Oman.  The tropical cyclone was moving toward the west-northwest at 6 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure 993 mb.

The organization of Tropical Cyclone 04A improved significantly on Wednesday.  A primary rainband wrapped almost entirely around the center of circulation and there were indications on various satellite images that an eye could be forming.  Additional rainbands were beginning to form in the circulation outside the core.  Thunderstorms near the center of circulation were generating upper level divergence, especially on the northeast side of the tropical cyclone.

The environment is favorable for further intensification.  Tropical Cyclone 04A is over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  Although there are strong upper level westerly winds north of the cyclone, the upper level winds over it are relatively light.  As a result there is not a lot of vertical wind shear over Tropical Cyclone 04A.  The cyclone is likely to intensify during the next several days and it could intensify rapidly.  It could attain hurricane intensity in a day or two and it could eventually become the equivalent of a major hurricane.

A ridge north of Tropical Cyclone 04A is steering it slowly toward the west-northwest.  The ridge is expected to continue steering the cyclone toward the west during the next few days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Cyclone 04A could approach the coast of Oman and Yemen in four or five days.