Nilofar is the 3rd strongest cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea since 2007. After Gonu hit Oman in 2007 and Phet struck Oman in 2010, Nilofar is the latest severe cyclonic storm that threatened to devastate Oman and parts of Pakistan and India.
Nilofar originated on the 23rd October as a low pressure and became a cyclone on 25th October. It became a severe cyclone on the 27th and very severe cyclonic storm on the 27th night. The cyclonic system moved steadily, threatening coasts of Oman, Pakistan and Western Coast of India.
Gonu – The super cyclonic storm with a favorable upper-level environment and warm sea surface temperatures rapidly intensified to attain peak winds of 240 km/h on 3rd June. Gonu weakened after encountering dry air and cooler waters, and early on June 6, it made landfall on the easternmost tip of Oman, becoming the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula. It then turned northward into the Gulf of Oman, and dissipated on June 7 after making landfall in southern Iran, the first landfall in the country since 1898.
Phet - Phet developed from a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea that organized into a tropical cyclone on May 31. It initially moved to the northwest but later turned northwards before making landfall in the Oman Desert on June 4 at peak intensity. Weakening, it then shifted direction and headed northeast and made landfall as a deep depression at Thatta, Pakistan on the evening of June 6.
History of Severe Cyclones in Arabian Sea
Intense tropical cyclones like Gonu are extremely rare over the Arabian Sea, since most storms in this area tend to be small and dissipate quickly.
Reasons being
Strong vertical wind shear
Dry air entrancement as they move closer to land
From 1891 to 2007, there have been 103 storms in the Arabian Sea, however, 50 storms out of it weakened over sea.
24 storms struck Gujarat
12 storms struck Oman
11 storms struck Pakistan
4 storms struck Maharashtra
2 storms struck Kerala
