Tag Archives: Tropical Cyclone Ditwah

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah Weakens

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Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was weakening on Sunday as it moved slowly over the southwestern Bay of Bengal east of southern India.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Sunday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was located at latitude 11.8°N and longitude 80.6°E which put the center about 55 miles (90 km) east-southeast of Puducherry, India.  Ditwah was moving toward the north at 2 m.p.h. (3 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 1004 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was weakening slowly on Sunday.  A few new thunderstorms developed near the center of Ditwah’s circulation.  However, most of the bands revolving around the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah consisted of showers and lower clouds.  Thunderstorms were occurring in a couple of bands in the northeastern periphery of Ditwah’s circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move through an environment mostly unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Ditwah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is over Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal.  The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ditwah’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The moderate vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification.  In addition, drier air being pulled into Ditwah’s circulation is likely to limit the formation of new thunderstorms.  Tropical Cyclone Ditwah is likely to continue to weaken slowly during the next 24 hours because of the moderate vertical wind shear and the effects of the drier air.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.  The high pressure system will steer Ditwah slowly toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move nearly parallel to the coast of southeast India.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will bring gusty winds and isolated heavy rain to parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah Moves North of Sri Lanka

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Tropical Cyclone Ditwah moved north of Sri Lanka on Saturday.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was located at latitude 10.2°N and longitude 80.8°E which put the center about 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Puducherry, India.  Ditwah was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was pulling in drier air from over India.  The drier air caused the thunderstorms near the center of Ditwah’s circulation to weaken.  Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the northern and eastern periphery of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.  Bands in the other parts of Ditwah’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

Even though the thunderstorms near the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah weakened, Ditwah was still producing winds to tropical storm force.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Ditwah’s circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move through an environment marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Ditwah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is over Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal.  The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ditwah’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification but the shear may not be enough to prevent some intensification.  However, the drier air being pulled into Ditwah’s circulation is likely to inhibit the formation of new thunderstorms.  Tropical Cyclone Ditwah could maintain its intensity during the next 24 hours.  However, the drier air is likely to cause Ditwah to weaken slowly during the next several days.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.  The high pressure system will steer Ditwah toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move nearly parallel to the coast of southeast India.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will bring gusty winds and isolated heavy rain to parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah Spins Near Sri Lanka

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Tropical Cyclone Ditwah continued to spin near Sri Lanka on Friday.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was located at latitude 8.8°N and longitude 80.8°E which put the center about 85 miles (135 km) south-southeast of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.  Ditwah was moving toward the north-northwest at 4 m.p.h. (6 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.

The center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was still over northern Sri Lanka on Friday morning.  The fact that the center of Ditwah’s circulation was still over land combined with the effects of vertical wind shear to cause the distribution of thunderstorms to be asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern and western parts of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.  Bands in the southern and eastern parts of Ditwah’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The strongest winds in Tropical Cyclone Ditwah were occurring over the southwestern Bay of Bengal.   Winds to tropical storm force extended out 110 miles (175 km) from the center of Ditwah’s circulation.  The winds were much weaker over land.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification when the center of its circulation moves back over the southwestern Bay of Bengal in a few hours.  Ditwah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is over Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal.  The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ditwah’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification but the shear may not be enough to prevent some intensification.  Tropical Cyclone Ditwah could intensify a little during the next 24 hours even with moderate vertical wind shear, when the center of its circulation moves back over water.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.  The high pressure system will steer Ditwah toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move north of Sri Lanka in a few hours.  Ditwah could reach the coast of Tamil Nadu during the weekend.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will continue to affect Sri Lanka and southern India.  Ditwah will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.  There were reports that flooding in Sri Lanka had already caused fatalities.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah Forms Near Sri Lanka

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Tropical Cyclone Ditwah formed over the southwestern Bay of Bengal on Thursday.  At 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was located at latitude 7.8°N and longitude 81.6°E which put the center about 10 miles (15 km) northwest of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.  Ditwah was moving toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

A low pressure system over the southwestern Bay of Bengal near Sri Lanka intensified on Thursday and the India Meteorological Department designated the system as Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.

The center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was near the east coast of Sri Lanka.  About half of Ditwah’s circulation was over Sri Lanka.  A band of thunderstorms was wrapped around the northern and western sides of the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.  Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Ditwah’s circulation.  Storms near the center of Ditwah generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the west of the tropical cyclone.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease slowly.

The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Cyclone Ditwah was asymmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) in the southern half of Ditwah’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) in the northern side of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Ditwah will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge that is over Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal.  The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Ditwah’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification.  The fact that almost half of Ditwah’s circulation is over Sri Lanka will also inhibit intensification.  Tropical Cyclone Ditwah could intensify during the next 24 hours even with moderate vertical wind shear, if the center of its circulation remains over water.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.  The high pressure system will steer Ditwah toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will move along the coast of northeastern Sri Lanka.  Ditwah could approach the coast of India near Chennai within 72 hours.

Tropical Cyclone Ditwah will produce strong winds and heavy rain over Sri Lanka.  Heavy rain will cause flash floods in some locations.