The 2016 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It was the deadliest season since 2010, killing about 400 people. The season was an average one, seeing four named storms, with one further intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm. The first named storm, Roanu, developed on May 19 while the season's last named storm, Vardah, dissipated on December 13. The North Indian Ocean cyclone season has no official bounds, but cyclones tend to form between April and December, with the two peaks in May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northern Indian Ocean.
The scope of this article is limited to the Indian Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere, east of the Horn of Africa and west of the Malay Peninsula. There are two main seas in the North Indian Ocean -- the Arabian Sea to the west of the Indian subcontinent, abbreviated ARB by the India Meteorological Department (IMD); and the Bay of Bengal to the east, abbreviated BOB by the IMD. The official Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in this basin is the India Meteorological Department (IMD), while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center releases unofficial advisories. On average, three to four cyclonic storms form in this basin every season.
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Season summary
The season officially started with the formation of Cyclone Roanu over in the Bay of Bengal on 17 May. The beginning of June witnessed no storms, although a lot of low pressure areas formed over Bay of Bengal, but none of these intensified into a depression due to a very strong southwest monsoon. At the end of June, Depression ARB 01 formed but weakened within two days. July witnessed no storms until a deep depression formed in August under the influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation over Gangetic West Bengal. However, multiple low pressure areas occurred on the Bay of Bengal, with Cyclonic Storm Kyant forming in October and Cyclonic Storm Nada in November. Due to warm sea surface temperatures Very Severe Cyclone Vardah formed in December.
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Systems
Cyclonic Storm Roanu
Under the influence of a trough, a low pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal on May 14. It slowly consolidated, prompting the IMD to classify it as a depression on May 17. By the late hours of May 17, a tropical cyclone formation alert (TCFA) was issued, following which, the JTWC upgraded the system to tropical storm intensity. On the next day, the IMD upgraded the storm to a Deep Depression, prompting the issuance of cyclone warnings for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. On May 19, the IMD reported that the storm had reached cyclonic storm intensity, naming it Roanu. The cyclone drifted in a northeastward track, and continued to gain intensity until persistent wind shear and its proximity to land eventually caused it to start weakening, on the same day. However, the wind shear soon decreased, and Roanu reintensified as deep convection became established over and around the low-level circulation center (LLCC). Moving generally east-northeastwards, the storm made landfall near Chittagong, Bangladesh on May 21, upon which it rapidly weakened. The system dissipated over Gangetic West Bengal on May 22. The outer rainbands of the storm gave heavy rain in south Bengal including Kolkata.
Depression ARB 01
On June 27, a low pressure system intensified into a depression in the Arabian Sea. It turned westwards and moved to the cooler sections of the Arabian sea and gradually weakened. It dissipated on open waters on June 29. Rain in Oman was the result of the depression. The depression that formed over the Northwest Arabian Sea and moved towards the Oman coast, and weakened. However, this weakened system continued to give rain over Oman in Ash Sharqiya and Al Wusta region. Mostly southern parts of Oman was affected by this system.
Land Depression 01
On July 6, a depression formed over north central India. The Land Depression dissipated on the next day.
Land Depression 02
A well-marked low-pressure area developed into a depression on August 9, close to Canning, West Bengal, India. The next day, it moved northeastwards and intensified into a deep depression overland in Bangladesh, about 100 km (62 mi) east-northeast of Kolkata.
Eight trawlers with a collective 118 fishermen aboard went missing over the Bay of Bengal during the storm; at least 2 people are feared dead. The Indian Coast Guard launched a large-scale search and rescue operation to locate the missing fishermen. All of the trawlers later returned to port, with one requiring assistance due to engine failure. 5 fishermen went missing due to the storm out of which 2 died in the Hugli delta.
The deep depression moved towards Jharkhand on August 11, and quickly degenerated into a depression. Heavy rain fell over districts in West Bengal, such as Birbhum, Purulia, and Bardhaman, and even in Kolkata, which led to flooding in some areas. Flooding also occurred in Jharkhand and West Bengal, due to the increase of river waters in Damodar and Hugli.
Depression BOB 02
A low pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal in mid-August 2016. It slowly consolidated, prompting the IMD to upgrade the system to a Depression on August 16. The system slowly moved northwestward, and intensified into a Deep Depression on the following day, before making landfall over the coast of West Bengal between Digha and Diamond Harbour.
The system brought heavy rainfall to the eastern states of India, a region which was experiencing deficient monsoon rains. Chandabali and Balasore in Odisha recorded 146 mm (5.7 in) and 90 mm (3.5 in) of rainfall respectively in a span of 21 hours. Heavy rains fell in West Bengal, including Kolkata, which recorded winds of 70 km/h. At least 6 people died in Kolkata, directly due to the storm. In Jharkhand, two teams of the National Disaster Response Force were deployed in the Garhwa and Chatra districts of the state, amid concerns of a possible flash flood.
Cyclonic Storm Kyant
An area of low pressure formed over east-central Bay of Bengal on October 19. It slowly consolidated and was upgraded to a Depression on October 21. The system tracked over a marginally favorable environment, and intensified into a Deep Depression on October 23. This was shortly followed by the JTWC issuing a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) for the system. On October 24, both the IMD and JWTC reported the storm had reached tropical cyclone strength, naming it Kyant. Initially following a northeastward path, the storm re-curved westward off the coast of Myanmar, along the southern periphery of a subtropical ridge, towards the eastern coast of India. Shortly thereafter, Kyant reached its peak intensity, with sustained winds exceeding 85 km/h (50 mph) and a minimal central pressure of 998 mbar (29.47 inHg). Over the next day, the system experienced dry-air intrusion, due to proximity to land, and within a span of six hours, it lost most of its convective structure and rapidly degenerated, as the storm drifted further west-southwestward. The JTWC issued its final warning at 21:00 UTC on October 26, and Kyant was last noted as a well-marked low pressure area off the coast of southern Andhra Pradesh, on October 28.
Depression BOB 04
An area of convection persisted in the Gulf of Thailand on October 31. It crossed the Malay Peninsula and drifted northwestwards into the Bay of Bengal over the next few days, as it steadily organized. Being located in a highly favourable environment, the system rapidly consolidated, which inclined the JTWC to issue a TCFA on November 2. The IMD reported that the area of low pressure had organized into a Depression on the next day. However, the storm moved into an area of very high wind shear, prompting the JTWC to cancel the TCFA on November 4. The system gradually weakened as it tracked along the eastern coast of India over the next two days, and dissipated near southeast Bangladesh on November 6. However, the weakened system triggered heavy rainfall in coastal areas of West Bengal and Bangladesh, killing 80 people directly.
Cyclonic Storm Nada
Under the influence of a trough, a low pressure area formed in the extreme southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal. The low pressure area slowly consolidated, until it strengthened into Depression BOB 05 on November 29. This was followed by the JTWC issuing a TCFA for the system, while it was rapidly intensifying to a Deep Depression. Remaining as a Deep Depression for a short time, the storm quickly intensified into a Cyclonic Storm, and was named Nada by the IMD. Shortly thereafter, the storm reached its peak intensity, with winds exceeding 75 km/h (45 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 1,000 mbar (29.53 inHg). Over the next two days, the storm encountered high wind shear, which combined with land interaction caused the storm to rapidly weaken, and cross the coast of Tamil Nadu, near Karaikal, as a depression. The system was last noted as a well-marked low pressure area over southern Karnataka on December 2.
In the wake of Nada, the schools in Tamil Nadu declared a two-day holiday, in order to be available as cyclone shelters. Heavy rainfall lashed southern India and Sri Lanka. Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu recorded 110 mm (4.3 in) rainfall within 24 hours on December 2. Jaffna, Sri Lanka also reported 110 mm (4.3 in) of rainfall.Tirupati airport Recorded a total of 272 mm (10.7 in), which was highest total from the Cyclone. 12 deaths were reported, due to incidents related to the storm.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Vardah
Under the influence of a persistent area of convection, a low pressure area formed in the Malay Peninsula and adjoining north Sumatra, in early December 2016. The low pressure area emerged as a tropical disturbance over the next several days, as it slowly moved towards the southeast Bay of Bengal. On December 6, The IMD classified the system as Depression BOB 06, as it had sufficiently organized itself, with winds of 45 km/h (30 mph). Owing to low wind shear and favorable sea surface temperatures, the storm gradually intensified into a Deep Depression on the following day. Skirting off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Deep Depression, BOB 06 was upgraded to a Cyclonic Storm by the IMD and JTWC, in the early hours of December 8, and was assigned the name Vardah.
With conditions favorable for further development, Vardah intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm on December 9. Although predicted to maintain its intensity, Vardah strengthened further, as it followed a generally west-northwestwards track, prompting the IMD to upgrade its intensity to a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm status, on December 10. Gradually intensifying as it moved westwards, Vardah reached its peak intensity on December 11, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h (80 mph), and a minimum central pressure of 982 mbar (29.00 inHg). On December 12, Vardah made landfall in southern India and weakened rapidly, before weakening into a remnant low on December 13.
Vardah brought heavy rainfall to Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Deep Depression. Hut Bay recorded 166 mm (6.5 in) of rainfall on December 6, while Port Blair recorded 167 mm (6.6 in) of rainfall on December 7. More than 1,400 tourists were stranded on the Havelock and Neil islands of the archipelago. The cyclone prompted India's largest evacuation in 2 years of 16000 people. 24 deaths related to the cyclone were reported in the State of Tamil Nadu. The cyclone dumped extreme amounts of rainfall, at 382 mm (15.0 in) in Sathyabama University, Chennai, and 341 mm (13.4 in) in Katupakkam, a suburb of Chennai, within 24 hours of making landfall.
Depression ARB 02
The remnants of Cyclone Vardah crossed the Indian Subcontinent and entered the Arabian Sea on December 14. Owing to warm sea surface temperatures, the system consolidated into a depression on December 17. On the next day, the system entered an area marked by colder sea surface temperatures and high wind shear, causing it to rapidly weaken into a well-marked low pressure area.
Season effects
This is a table of all storms in the 2016 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. It mentions all of the season's storms and their names, duration, peak intensities (according to the IMD storm scale), damage, and death totals. Damage and death totals include the damage and deaths caused when that storm was a precursor wave or extratropical low, and all of the damage figures are in 2016 USD.
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