Sidr is a very severe tropical cyclone over the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. It is just short of being a category five cyclone. It has top winds of 150 mph. It will make landfall over the low lying coastline of Bangladesh tomorrow night (Birmingham time) or early Friday morning local time.
Here is the latest bulletin on severe tropical cyclone Sidr from the India Meteorological Department…
DEMS-RSMC TROPICAL CYCLONES NEW DELHI DATED 15-11-2007
TROPICAL STORM “SIDR†ADVISORY NO. TWENTY FOUR ISSUED AT 0300 UTC OF 15 NOVEMBER, 2007.
THE VERY SEVERE CYCLONIC STORM “SIDR†OVER EASTCENTRAL AND ADJOINING WESTCENTRAL BAY OF BENGAL MOVED FURTHER NORTHWARDS AND LAY CENTRED AT 0000 UTC OF TODAY, THE 15TH NOVEMBER 2007 OVER EASTCENTRAL AND ADJOINING WESTCENTRAL BAY OF BENGAL NEAR LAT. 17.50 N AND LONG 89.00 E, ABOUT 600 KM SOUTH OF KOLKATA(42809).
ESTIMATED CENTRAL PRESSURE: 956 hPa.
THE SATELLITE IMAGERIES SHOW SOLID INTENSE TO VERY INTENSE CONVECTIVE CLOUDS AROUND THE SYSTEM CENTRE. EYE IS VISIBLE. CURRENT INTENSITY: T5.5 RPT T5.5. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WIND SPEED IS 100-110 KTS AROUND THE STORM CENTRE.
SEA: PHENOMENAL.
FORECAST: THE STORM IS LIKELY TO INTENSIFY FURTHER AND MOVE IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 09 KT AND CROSS WEST BENGAL-BANGLADESH COAST EAST OF SAGAR ISLAND (42903) NEAR LONG. AND LONG 890 E BY 16TH NOVEMBER 2007 MORNING.
INTENSITY T6.5 RPT T6.5 WITH, WINDS OF 130 KTS GUSTING TO 150 KTS NEAR THE CENTRE OF THE STORM AT 0000 UTC OF 16TH NOVEMBER 2007.
Forecast track for Sidr from the Naval Research Lab Monterrey Marine Meteorological Division…
Here is the Indian Cyclone Warning…
The very severe cyclonic storm “SIDR†over eastcentral and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved further northwards and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of 15th November, 2007 over eastcentral and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal near Lat. 17.5 Deg N and Long. 89.0 Deg E, about 600 Km south of Kolkata. It is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coast east of Sagar Island near Long. 89.0 Deg E by 16th November 2007 morning.
Under its influence, rain/thundershowers at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25 cm or more) are likely over coastal districts of West Bengal and north Orissa during next 48 hours
Gale winds speed reaching 60-90 Kmph are likely along and off north Orissa- West Bengal coast. The wind speed is likely to increase as the system approaches the coast.
Sea condition will be high to very high. Fisherman of the above areas are advised not to venture into the sea.
The dangerous storm may weaken a slight bit before landfall over Bangladesh tomorrow night…but should still be a strong category four cyclone.
Many of the deadliest cyclones in world history have occurred in the Bay of Bengal, including the Great Bhola Cyclone in November 1970 that killed 550,000 people when it struck Bangladesh.
