Skymet weather

Cricket resumes as weather relents; Dharamsala ODI crucial for India

West-Indies-vs-India CroppedAfter cyclone Hudhud deprived India of attaining the No. 1 ranking in ODIs, as the 3rd ODI between India and West Indies was abandoned in view of cyclone threat at Visakhapatnam, the focus now shifts to the picturesque cricket ground in Dharamsala which is the highest international venue in India.

Now, the series having been reduced to four matches and both the teams having won one game each, the last two ODIs have become very crucial. Also it is to be noted that these ODIs are the last home games for the men in blue before the 2015 World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand. It remains to be seen whether India would try out their bench strength with exciting prospect like Kuldeep Yadav waiting in the wings. There is also a case for Akshar Patel and Murli Vijay to be tested before the World Cup.

With some snow in the northern hills, the weather in Dharamsala has become cold. Maximum and minimum temperatures would record close to 24 and 12°C respectively. In the evening there will be a nip in the air. There are good chances of dew formation during the night.

The toss will play a crucial role as the captain winning the toss would like to bowl first as gripping the bowl will become hard once it gets wet. And the cold conditions during late evening will make fielding difficult. As far as the pitch is concerned the Dharamsala pitch is the bounciest in India and will therefore help seam bowling. The pitch will also aid the spinners in getting extra bounce. The outfield is lush green and quick and hence batsmen will enjoy stroke making.

 

 

Latest update on Cyclone Hudhud

Helpline numbers: New Delhi 011 23093563, 23093566; Odisha 1948; Andhra Pradesh 1949

October 17, 13.30 pm (IST): Cyclone Hudhud, after battering coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on October 13 kept losing steam as it travelled across Chhattisgarh, Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh. Torrential unseasonal rain and squally winds caused immense damage to standing crops, which were almost ready for harvesting.

Remnants of the cyclone fizzled out in central Nepal and foothills of Bihar. Though it lost its defining features but had enough potential to bring deluge across the Annapurna Mountain range in central Nepal.

Hudhud will become completely redundant in another 24 hours but there seems no early end in sight to the misery of the people in Visakhapatnam and other Hudhud-hit coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, the Vizag airport has suffered a humongous damage worth around 500 crores. Flight services have now resumed but it might take another two weeks for power supply to be completely restored.

October 13, 10.30 am (IST): Cyclone Hudhud weakens further into a depression and lies close to Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It bears wind speed of 40-50 kmph, gusting at 60 kmph.

October 13, 8.30 am (IST): Rain reduces to minimal in Visakhapatnam. Winds also become calm. Airport likely to become operational by today, says the Indian navy.

October 13, 8.00 am (IST): Cyclone Hudhud has weakened into a deep depression and lies over Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. Wind speeds are in the range of 50-70 kmph.

October 13, 7.30 am (IST): Death toll mounts to 6 in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha

October 12, 6.45 pm (IST) : Cyclone Hudhud moves out of Visakhapatnam, loses speed. Winds now blowing at a speed of 120-130 kmph.

October 12, 5.00 pm (IST) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by phone and enquired about the cyclone 'Hudhud', which hit the Andhra coast near Vizag Sunday.

October 12, 3.00 pm (IST) : Cyclone Hudhud resurges in Visakhapatnam with wind speed of 200 kmph. Huge damage caused to infrastructure, crops and telecommunication. 

October 12, 2.40 pm (IST) : 'We have to monitor very closely in the next three-four hours. We are continuously evacuating people': N Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

October 12, 2.05 pm (IST) : Strong winds are lashing Ganjam district of Odisha, just before the arrival of Cyclone Hudhud. 

  October 12, 1.20 pm (IST) : In Odisha, 92,882 people have been evacuated and moved to 790 safety shelters across nine districts.

October 12, 1.00 pm (IST) : Gradually, Hudhud will weaken into a cyclone and further into a depression within next 24 hours.

The rain belt will gradually cover Gangetic Bengal, Chhattisgarh, east Vidarbha, Jharkhand, Bihar, parts of Madhya Pradesh and extend up to east Uttar Pradesh.

October 12, 12.10 pm (IST) : Cyclone Hudud already claimed two lives in rain-related incidents in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts.

Odisha will not escape fury of the cyclone. Malkangiri, Koraput, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Ganjam and Gajapati are some of the places that will be affected by Cyclone Hudhud.

October 12, 12.05 pm (IST) : Hudhud makes landfall at Visakhapatnam. At present the eye of the storm is crossing the coastal city.

October 12, 11.50 am (IST) : Cyclone Hudhud is approaching towards the coast of Visakhapatnam with the wind speed of 180 kmph. According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, cyclone Hudhud has hit the coast of Andhra Pradesh and it is expected to make a landfall soon.

At the time landfall, gusty winds are expected to touch the speed of 200 kmph with the tides surging to the height of about 20 feet. Areas falling within the range of 200 km, on either side of the eye of the cyclone, will experience very strong winds and exceptionally heavy rainfall.

At present, it is about 30 km away from the coast and the peripheral thick cloud bands are already affecting Visakhapatnam and neighbourhood areas. Visakhapatnam is already experiencing very heavy rainfall. Hoardings and trees are uprooted due to heavy winds.

The cyclone is still maintaining the intensity of a very severe cyclonic storm. However, it will gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm post landfall.

Over four lakhs of people have been evacuated till now and people are advised to stay indoor. Electricity supply has also been cut off since morning as a precaution in Visakhapatnam.

Army, Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on standby for rescue and relief operations. As reported by NDTV, 17 Coast Guard Ships, nine aircraft, 44 teams of NDRF with over 2,000 rescuers have been deployed.

October 11: Cyclone Hudhud has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. It is currently centred around 15.9°N latitude and 85.7°E longitude, about 350 km east/southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 380 km south/southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.

Punched with a speed of 120-130 kmph at the core and gusting at 150 kmph, Hudhud is travelling in a west/northwest direction. At the moment cyclone Hudhud is demonstrating strength equivalent to CAT II storm and likely to strengthen further.

According to latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, Hudhud will make landfall near Visakhapatnam by the forenoon hours of October 12. Maximum wind speed at the time of landfall could be 140-155 kmph.

Coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are likely to bear the maximum brunt of the cyclone. Light rain has commenced in the coastal areas and the cloud cover will gradually thicken to bring overcast skies. As reiterated by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, heavy showers will start lashing the states from tonight and pick up as we approach landfall.

Up to 500 km on either side of the landfall area, generally become vulnerable to intense weather activity. The districts to be affected with squally winds and heavy showers in Andhra Pradesh would be Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari.

The Odisha Government is also on alert to face the threat posed by CycloneHudhud. The districts likely to be affected are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.

After landfall, the cyclone will weaken and travel deep inland. The rain belt will gradually shift to cover Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh and extend up to east Uttar Pradesh.

Governmental authorities in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are on high alert with the cyclone bearing down on the coast, around the same time as cyclone Phailin battered Odisha. Just like last year, we pray that the state’s effective preparations will save countless lives.

 

October 10: Cyclone Hudhud is continuously gaining strength and is currently centred around 14.8°N latitude and 87.2°E longitude, about 600 km from Visakhapatnam coast. The cyclone in all likelihood will soon turn into a very severe cyclonic storm, according to Skymet Meteorology Division in India.

At the moment cyclone Hudhud is moving at a speed of 10 kmph and is punched with winds speed of 110 kmph at the core gusting at 130 kmph, demonstrating strength equivalent to CAT I storm. And the chances of the cyclonic storm turning into a CAT III storm is also very high.

Hudhud is likely to make landfall between Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Gopalpur in Odisha by the night of October 11 or early morning of October 12. But chances of the cyclone hitting Visakhapatnam is rather high.

It is to be noted that damage in the coastal areas in terms of strong winds and heavy showers begin even before cyclones make landfall.

Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have started experiencing clouding, which will gradually thicken to bring overcast skies. As reiterated by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, heavy showers will start lashing the states from October 10 and pick up as we approach landfall. Up to 500 km on either side of the landfall area, generally become vulnerable to intense weather activity.

The most damaging aspect of storms, squally winds, will start ravaging the coastal areas from the 11th. After landfall, the rain belt will gradually shift to cover Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh and extend up to east Uttar Pradesh.

October is not a winter month

girlDear Delhiites! Whenever you have been experiencing sudden chill during early mornings and evenings in October, refrain from declaring the onset of winter in the middle of the month!

As the weekend nears, mornings in Delhi become pleasantly cold for an effortless morning walk for health. Delhi’s minimum temperature reaches 15ºC, a sharp decline from 21.8 ºC recorded on 14th October. In last ten years, the national capital has only touched 15ºC towards the end of the month as compared to the middle of the month observed during this year.

 

 

 

 

Minimum temperatures in last few years

 

Year Temperature Date in Oct.
2005 13.7 31
2006  16.3 31
2007 14.5 30
2008 16.4 20
2009 13.5 26

 

The early snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and heavy rain in parts of Uttar Pradesh has nothing to do with an indication of the arrival of winter. This is just thanks to certain weather disturbances causing unseasonal climatic conditions in parts of India.

“Climatologically, October is not a winter month. For winters to set in, maximum temperatures have to be in mid 20s and minimums have to settle around 15 degrees”, says G.P. Sharma, Vice President, Meteorology, Skymet Meteorology Division in India.

October undergoes an intermittent period as it witnesses the transition of Southwest Monsoon into Northeast Monsoon. Therefore, the variation in temperature is high, leading to warm days and pleasant evenings. Yet, this pleasant weather does not signal winters.

Weekly change in temperature in October
Normally, the first week of October witnesses maximum temperature of mid 30s and minimum of mid 20s. The temperature chart for the following weeks is

1st week – Mid 30s / Mid 20s
2nd week – Mid 30s / Low 20s
3rd week – Low 30s / Below 20s
4th week – Around 30º / Around 15º

Clearly, October shows no signs of winter season as for winters to be here, the maximum and minimum temperatures must drift between mid-20s and below 15 degrees respectively.

However, from the beginning of October, national capital Delhi, parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat have been witnessing uncomfortable weather as maximums have consistently remained above normal.

For instance, observatory at Palam, Delhi has been recording temperatures which were 4 degrees above normal. On Sunday, the maximum temperature settled at 38.8°C, which was highest in last ten years for this month.

Rajasthan too continued to reel under hot weather conditions, as the maximum temperatures surged closer to 40°C in the several cities including Churu, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Barmer.

The high temperatures, which are above normal, also made the situation grim in parts of Gujarat where Baroda, Idar, Kandla and Surat observed maximums above 35°C.

Though minimums have dropped marginally in last few days in Delhi, winter is yet far away. Delhi observed minimums of 16.2ºC, 19.6ºC, 21.8ºC, 18.6ºC on 16th, 15th, 14th and 13th October respectively.

Factors leading to sudden chill
After Southwest monsoon withdraws, parts of North India and Central India come under the influence of western disturbances that moves towards east from west. The disturbance results in light to moderate rain in Delhi and hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It leads to snow in Jammu and Kashmir area, as has been experienced this year on 8th October.

Additionally, persistent northwesterly winds from the hills of Jammu and Kashmir and the position of the sun having moved towards the south usually makes the days colder than before.

Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand, faces the brunt of inclement climatic conditions due to its location. Even though it stays away from the effect of western disturbances being in the east, it often experiences the change due to winds coming down the slope from the foothills of Himalayas.

Moreover, it has been experiencing unseasonal rain since last year, during this period, due to severe cyclonic storms forming in the Gulf of Siam. Cyclonic storm Phailin last year and Cyclonic storm Hudhud this year have caused heavy rain in East U.P. including Gorakhpur and Bahraich.

Outlook for October
Even as people look forward to the delightful festival of Diwali, the mercury is expected to go below 20 degrees in North India including Delhi. Surely, people can experience pleasant days ahead that will set the pace for winter's arrival.

Image Credit: dailymail.co.uk

 

No more cyclones expected in October

Cyclone Hudhud Cyclone Hudhud was the first cyclone of the Northeast Monsoon season, which had emerged as a cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal on October 4. It took almost ten days for cyclone Hudhud to gradually transform into a very sever cyclone and make landfall at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on October 12.

Severe cyclones like Hudhud rob the Indian Ocean off significant amount of energy. At the same time the Ocean has tremendous potential to recoup. Most cyclones in Indian seas emerge along Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). So active ITCZ becomes one of the pre-conditions for a cyclone to form.

Once a disturbance originates in the Indian Seas, it needs favourable condition for its growth like sea surface temperature of more than 26 degrees Celcius and fvourable wind field, not having large wind shear.

The frequency of cyclones are 4-5 during an year, with highest numbers being during the Northeast Monsoon season. There is still two months to go before the storms calm down in December. At the moment there isn't any condition building in the Indian Seas for a cyclone to form for at least two weeks, bringing a huge relief to the cyclone hit areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Skymet will be tracking all the developments in the Indian Seas and will keep you updated.

 

ISRO successfully launches third navigational satellite IRNSS-1C

IndiaTva1c006_isro CroppedAfter the successful launch of Mangalyaan, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scripted another success in India's space programme, as foreseen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C26) carrying the all-important 1,425-kg Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS-1C) was launched from Sriharikota in the wee hours of October 16.

The launch was originally scheduled on October 10, but the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) postponed it by a week due to "a snag" in the telecommand system.

The IRNSS-1C is a part of a constellation of seven satellites, which will help in terrestrial, aerial and sea navigation. Civilian aircraft can use them for cruising and landing. In defense, they will aid missiles to reach their targets accurately or in pointing them to circumvent hills. The atomic clocks on the satellites will help missiles in executing their manoeuvrings at the appointed time.

The mission is aimed at taking India one step closer to establishing a regional navigation system akin to the United States' Global Positioning System (GPS). IRNSS has been designed to provide accurate position information service to users across the country. It will be the 28th flight of PSLV and the seventh time that its XL configuration will be flown. Previous missions in which it was used include Chandrayaan1, the lunar mission, and Mangalyaan and the Mars Orbiter Mission.

There are four stages of the PSLV-C26, the vehicle’s fourth stage has been filled with liquid propellants. The PSLV-C26 is a four-stage vehicle; in the first and the third stages the vehicle is filled using solid propellants and in the second and fourth, liquid fuel.

 

25 Tornadoes rip USA as hurricanes surge off coast

TornadoesA connective storm system, which had killed two people on Monday, has now moved across northeast on late Wednesday night. However, no casualties were reported on Wednesday but the system had caused 25 Tornadoes across the southern parts of USA.

Strong winds uprooted trees and reportedly in one incident, a tree crashed over an apartment causing damage to the building located near Washington DC.

This system has brought 50 mm of rainfall, which has initiated flash flood watches in Pennsylvania and New York.

12 out of 25 tornadoes took place on October 15 in Missouri. While the remaining 13 tornadoes were reported between Texas and Albama on October 14. In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal had declared a state of emergency as thousands of people were without power as strong winds smashed the electricity poles.

Hawaii and Bermuda await hurricane

Hawaiian island and Bermuda continue to be under threat of heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

As tropical storm Gonzalo gained the status of hurricane on Thursday, Bermuda which is located in the east issued a hurricane watch. The effect of this storm, which at present is travelling at 13 mph with winds gusting up to 125 mph could begin on Friday.

On the west, Hawaii has shut down schools and prepared to make relief camps as it braces for the arrival of tropical storm Ana on Friday. Ana is expected to intensify into a hurricane with wind speed up to 70 mph.

Tussle between Environment and Festivals

Festivals in India have multifaceted significance and are religiously marked by various practices such as fasting, abstinence, playing with colours, bursting crackers, etc. In India, festivals bring reprieve from daily grind and enthuses a sense of brotherhood among different communities following ritually diverse customs and traditions.

Festivals are an occasion to celebrate with great fervour, but how many of us ever spared a moment to think of the harmful effects before going out to buy a box of fire-crackers?

Air pollution

Bursting of crackers leads to pollution of air, besides releasing toxic gases. Every year, Diwali leads to an alarming rise in the level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Material (RSPM) in the air, due to bursting of fire crackers. These minute particles can contribute to various health issues including asthma and bronchitis.

Bursting crackers might give us some temporary but its harmful effects give us enough reasons to refrain from it this Diwali.

State Governments of several states are ensuring a complete ban on busting of firecrackers and use of loudspeakers beyond permissible limits.

Noise Pollution

Loudspeakers, fire crackers and loud musical instruments, appear to be one of the biggest culprits of noise pollution during festivities. Since the advent of urbanisation, people in the metros have been grappling with the problem of noise pollution in everyday living, and any kind of public celebration only aggravates this lurking issue.

People have always violated the permissible limits set for residential neighbourhoods by the Supreme Court during Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali and the list goes on. We generally tend to ignore the health impacts of unremitting exposure to high-decibel sounds, which bring health issues in adults like sleep disturbance, hypertension, tinnitus and hearing loss.

The local authorities are expected to maintain decorum during festivals but we as citizens should also be responsible enough to keep noise within permissible limits.

Water Pollution

Ganpati celebrations shortly followed by Durga Puja generally leaves immersion areas littered with flowers and parts of idols. The mess created by bursting of crackers cannot be ignored as well. Plaster of Paris used in idols add to the water pollution. Paints used for decorating the idols, loaded with high levels of mercury and lead, increases the toxin levels of water bodies after immersion days.

It’s high time for people to switch to eco-friendly methods of celebration. In several parts of the country, craftsmen have started using organic paints and clay for making idols.

Spreading the message of civic sense this Diwali might help to curb or at least decrease the pollution levels. We as apparent law abiding citizens must get our social act together before blaming it on local administrators and civic amenities. In today’s world, one can easily find sustainable ways of adding to the glory of the festivals.

Devastating storm brings Sydney to standstill

Lightening strikes SydneyA powerful storm with winds gusting up to 160 kmph raged across Sydney on Wednesday night, bringing the city to a halt. The unexpected strong winds that triggered heavy torrential rains, lightening and snow in some parts have plunged Sydney into darkness.

According to meteorological departments, weather is likely to improve on Thursday as it dissipates later in the day moving northwards. However, Sydney will take time to recover from the unexpected wild storm which had engulfed the city.

As per local media reports, suburbs in Sydney's south and Blue Mountains are worst affected. The rapid development of the storm led to flooding rains and destructive winds. Meanwhile, the East coast also experienced Category III tropical winds.

The city witnessed more than 100 mm of rainfall in less than 12 hours, exceeding the monthly normal of 76 mm. While the raging weather blanketed the Blue Mountains in snow. Most of the roads in and out of Blue Mountains region are blocked due to snow of about 20 cm.

Over 30,000 households without power

Over 30,000 households were without electricity for hours as damaging winds uprooted trees and electricity poles overnight.

Also, several arterial roads were closed, while many trains were delayed or diverted and cancelled, especially those connecting to Blue Mountains.

 

 

 







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