Cyclone Biparjoy to make landfall between India and Pakistan’s coasts, UAE to remain unaffected

Image: Twitter | International Space Station

India’s western coast is bracing for the landfall of the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Cyclone Biparjoy’. The country’s meteorology department predicted that Biparjoy, which is currently located 180km from the coast of Gujarat in the Arabian Sea, is likely to make landfall on the evening of June 15 (local time).

The storm will likely cross Saurashtra and Kutch in India and adjoining coastal areas in Pakistan between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port between 4-8 PM (local time), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The storm is currently categorised as a very severe cyclonic storm – VSCS – with maximum sustained wind speed of 115-125 kilometres per hour gusting to 140 kilometres per hour.

VSCS Biparjoy over Northeast Arabian Sea at 0530 hours IST of 15th June, 2023 about 180km west-southwest of Jakhau Port (Gujarat). To cross Saurashtra & Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi and Karachi near Jakhau Port by evening of June 15 as a VSVS. pic.twitter.com/vJfIjhqWAA

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 15, 2023

The IMD, in its morning bulletin, has forecast wind speeds of “125-135 kilometres per hour gusting to 150 kilometres per hour prevailing over the region which is likely to gradually decrease to 115-125 kilometres per hour with gusting winds of 140 kilometres per hour by 15th evening.”

The weather agency forecasts the storm to weaken after June 15 with squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kilometres per hour gusting to 70 kilometres per hour by June 16 morning.

Cyclone Biparjoy impact

Disaster relief agencies in India and Pakistan have reported to have evacuated over 150,000 people from their respective coastal areas. Government officials in India’s state of Gujarat have moved 67,000 residents to emergency shelters, reported the BBC. Meanwhile, an estimated 100,000 people were to have been evacuated by Wednesday morning by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.

Conditions in the Arabian Sea

Weather agencies from the countries adjoining the Arabian Sea have issued alerts for fishing vessels in the Arabian Sea, Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea. East-central Arabian Sea is likely to witness gale-force winds of 50-60 kilometres per hour gusting to 70 kilometres per hour. This would then reduce to a squall with wind speed reaching 40-50 kilometres per hour gusting to 60 kilometres per hour from June 15 evening.

The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) too has reiterated that the sea will be rough to very rough at times in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough at times in Oman sea.

Forecast for UAE

Cyclone Biparjoy’s path shows it heading north and northeast towards the India-Pakistan coast, and will have no impact on the UAE in the coming five days.

The UAE weather authority forecasts the local conditions to be “dusty and partly cloudy at times with another decrease in temperatures.” “Moderate to fresh wind and strong at times causing blowing and suspended dust and sand reducing the horizontal visibility,” read NCM’s morning forecast on June 15.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority led the Joint Assessment Team’s meetings to monitor & evaluate the weather conditions, assess authorities’ readiness. No impact on the country expected in next 5 days, continuous monitoring until situation concludes. pic.twitter.com/3dyjzmZ2xs

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) June 11, 2023

The NCM’s forecast for June 16 says the sea will be moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate becoming rough at times in Oman sea.

Cyclone Biparjoy from space

UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi captured stunning visuals of the cyclone from space aboard the International Space Station.

As promised in my previous video ? here are some pictures of the cyclone #Biparjoy forming in the Arabian Sea that I clicked over two days from the International Space Station ?️ pic.twitter.com/u7GjyfvmB9

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) June 14, 2023

The International Space Station allows for monitoring of complex weather systems on Earth. The ISS footage helps meteorologists on ground better track them. Al Neyadi had also shared a four-minute long video of the tropical storm. “The ISS provides a unique perspective on several natural phenomena, which can assist experts on Earth in weather monitoring. Stay safe, everyone!”

Watch as a tropical cyclone forms over the Arabian Sea from these views I captured.

The ISS provides a unique perspective on several natural phenomena, which can assist experts on Earth in weather monitoring.?️?

Stay safe, everyone! pic.twitter.com/dgr3SnAG0F

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) June 13, 2023