Super Cyclone ‘Sitrang’ To Form Over Bay Of Bengal In October 2022

 

A super cyclone is likely to form in the Bay of Bengal between October 18 and 25, forecasted US Met Office Global Forecast System (GFS).

The wind speed of this cyclone will be similar to Cyclone Sidr or Amphan — which is likely to hit at a wind speed of 210-250 kmph.

Meteorologist Mustafa Kamal Palash, a Ph.D. researcher on meteorology and climate at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, informed this on Monday.

He said that a possible cyclone named “Sitrang” that will form in the Bay of Bengal next week is indicating the possibility of “direct hitting” the coast of Bangladesh and West Bengal in India as a “super cyclone”. The cyclone will make landfall like Amphan.

Citing the prediction by the GFS model, Palash further said that the system may become a super cyclone.

Its wind speed can be similar to that of Cyclone Amphan, he added.

The IMD:GFS model based on 00 UTC (5.30 AM IST) of 11 October 2022 and valid for 00 UTC of 21 October 2022 also indicated the presence of a system over the Bay of Bengal (see pic below).

The IMD has already forecasted that a cyclonic circulation may form over the Bay of Bengal in the second half of this month.

As per the prediction, the cyclonic circulation may form over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea during “week 2” (October 14 to October 20).

The forecasted system may move west-northwestwards with “low” probability (up to 33%) of further intensification.