Cyclone Lehar

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Lehar (Hindustani: लेहर meaning "wave") is an active tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal that is forecast to hit the east coast of India, close to Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh with winds of over 100 knots (190 km/h; 120 mph). The origins of Lehar can be tracked back to an area of low pressure that formed in the Pacific ocean on 18 November. The system slowly drifted westwards and entered the Bay of Bengal, where it quickly intensified into a cyclonic storm. The Cyclone is expected to hit the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh on November 28. These regions have faced strong winds from Cyclones Phailin and heavy rainfall from Helen, the past month.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

A low pressure area formed over the South China Sea on 18 November. It slowly drifted westwards and crossed over the Malay Peninsula into the Bay of Bengal on November 22. There, it developed a well-defined low-level circulation center (LLCC). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical cyclone formation alert (TCFA) on the system, assuming that it would intensify further as it moves into warmer sections of the Bay of Bengal. Tracking westward at over 08 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph), the system gradually intensified over the next 24 hours. Early on November 23, the JTWC classified the system as a Tropical Storm, designating it with 05B. A couple of hours later, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) started tracking this system as a Depression. It was initially assigned the code BOB 07. Early the next day, the IMD reported that BOB 07 had reached deep depression status, and immediately afterwards, they upgraded BOB 07 into a cyclonic storm, naming it Lehar. Being located in an area of moderate vertical wind shear of around 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), convection gradually consolidated around the LLCC, though being slightly displaced towards the northwest. Later that day, Lehar developed a weak microwave eye-like feature.

Lehar made it's first landfall south of Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar, early on November 25. However, it maintained strength. The cyclone strengthened further and developed strong radial outflow, compensating the moderate vertical wind shear in the region. Following this development, the IMD upgraded Lehar to a Severe Cyclonic Storm. The JTWC also upgraded the system to a Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on the SSHS with winds of over 65 knots (120 km/h; 75 mph). However, multispectral satellite imagery showed that a deep central dense overcast was obscuring the low level circulation. The JTWC had poor confidence in the storm's position and couldn't exactly locate it's center. Lehar continued to track in a westerly direction just along the periphery of a subtropical ridge. Early on November 26, the IMD upgraded Lehar to a Very Severe Cyclonic storm. Meanwhile, they have warned the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha of heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Current Storm Information

As of 1730 IST (1200 UTC), 26 November 2013, Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Lehar was located near latitude 13.0°N and longitude 88.5°E, about 480 km (300 mi) west-northwest of Port Blair, 860 km (530 mi) east-southeast of Machilipatnam, 800 km (500 mi) east-southeast of Kakinada and 750 km (470 mi) southeast of Kalingapatnam. The system is forecasted to intensify further gradually in the next 24 hours, track west-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around noon of 28 November. Maximum sustained 3-minute wind speeds are estimated at 70 kn (130 km/h; 81 mph), gusting to 80 kn (150 km/h; 92 mph). Minimum central pressure is estimated at 982 mbar (29.0 inHg). The Dvorak intensity of the storm is estimated at T4.0.

For more latest official information on this storm, click through the links below:

• The IMD's latest Cyclone Warning
• The IMD's latest Cyclone Advisory
• The IMD's latest Forecast Track
• The JTWC's latest Cyclone Warning
• The JTWC's latest Forecast Track

Preparations and impact

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The cyclone affected the Andaman Islands along with heavy rain and gusts. It caused flooding, land slides, road blockage, uprooting of trees and damages in buildings. More than two dozen fishermen went missing and almost all of them were rescued by the Coast Guard and police. In Little Andaman, more than 2000 people were evacuated and kept in Onge-tikrey community hall there. In the nearby Havelock Island, about 1500 persons got shelter in the panchayat community hall. On 25th Novemeber, Mayabander and Port Blair recorded heavy rainfall of 243 mm and 213 mm respectively in 24 hrs as the Cyclone made landfall close to Port Blair . Port Blair recorded 110 kmhr with gusts upto 130 km/hr and Four Port Blair-bound flights from Chennai were cancelled.

Andhra Pradesh

The Government of Andhra Pradesh had arranged four military choppers while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 15 teams across the state, while another 15 were being arranged for rescue and relief operations immediately after the storm. The four choppers were kept at Visakhapatnam. The state's chief minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy told the district collectors of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts to evacuate all the people living in low-lying areas to higher ground.

Odisha

The Government of Odisha asked all Oriya fishermen to return to the coast and then evacuate to safer places on November 25 itself, as they were expected some kind of impact, whatsoever on the state. The director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre asked the ports of Paradip and Gopalpur to hoist danger signals in preparation for the storm.

See also

• Cyclone Laila
• Cyclone Nilam
• Cyclone Phailin

External links

• Rapid Response - Cyclone Relief Organisation