Cyclone Biparjoy [UPSC Notes]

Tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea have become more frequent in the past couple of decades due to the warming of sea surface temperature in the region, enhanced by a warming climate. Cyclone Biparjoy originated over the Arabian Sea and made landfall between Mandvi in Gujarat and Karachi in Pakistan on 15th June 2023. In this article, you will learn about Cyclone Biparjoy, an important topic for the  IAS exam GS paper I Geography segment.

Cyclone Biparjoy

Cyclone Biparjoy developed over the southeast Arabian Sea on 6th June 2023. Cyclone Biparjoy, the first cyclone in the Arabian Sea in 2023, underwent rapid intensification on the 6th and 7th of June, escalating from a cyclonic circulation to a very severe cyclonic storm.

• The cyclone moved nearly northward till the 14th morning, and then moved north-northeast wards, crossed Saurashtra and Kutch and adjoining Pakistan coasts between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) and made its landfall near Jakhau Port (Kutch) on 15th June. The storm brought heavy rains and flash flooding to coastal areas of both countries. It then moved to Rajasthan after making landfall in Gujarat.
• Cyclone Biparjoy generated wind speeds of 125-135 kmph with gusts reaching up to 150 kmph by the time it reached land. 
• The IMD data shows that cyclone Biparjoy is on course to become the longest-lifespan cyclone in the Arabian Sea. The cyclone has sustained its strength for a longer than normal duration, which is attributed to an unusually warm Arabian Sea.
• The longer a cyclonic storm remains over the sea, the more it is likely to accumulate more energy and moisture increasing its chances to become more severe leading to enhanced destruction after landfall. 
• Property was destroyed as a result of the cyclone in the affected areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Trees were also uprooted because of the strong winds. Around five people died and around 20 were injured.
• In Gujarat, 94,000 individuals were evacuated from the coastal areas to safety.
• Between two anticyclonic systems was Biparjoy. While the other seemed to be dragging it back, one of them actually helped it travel northward. It all combined to make it travel fairly slowly.
• Additionally, the anticyclonic system’s impact caused its course to sway.
• It is known as the cyclone with recurving tracks. Such cyclones frequently shift course as they move through the sky.
• Recurring cyclones present a particularly difficult prediction problem with an additional element of uncertainty.

Issues with Cyclone Biparjoy:

Cyclone Biparjoy had various characteristics that not only made it difficult to forecast its path but also made the cyclone potentially more hazardous.

• Cyclone Biparjoy was once expected to move towards Pakistan’s Karachi.
• The landfall of most cyclones of this intensity takes three to four hours. It took roughly five hours for Biparjoy. Due to its slow speed, the cyclone was able to maintain itself by drawing moisture from the sea long after it touched down on land.
• Longer landfalls have a higher chance of wreaking havoc. The Odisha superstorm of 1999, the deadliest cyclone to strike India in recent memory, made the most dramatic landing. It had been going on for about 30 hours.

Cyclone

Cyclones are classified broadly into two types – extra-tropical cyclones and tropical cyclones.

Extra-tropical Cyclone

• Extra-tropical cyclones, also called mid-latitude cyclones, occur outside of the tropics.
• They have cold air at their core and derive their energy from the release of potential energy when cold and warm air masses interact. 

Read more on extra-tropical cyclones in the link.

Tropical Cyclone

• Tropical cyclones are those which develop in the regions between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. They are the most dangerous storms on Earth.
• The core of the storm turns warm and the cyclone gets most of its energy from the latent heat released when water vapour that has evaporated condenses into liquid water. 
• Historically, the Bay of Bengal has been known for tropical cyclones. But over the years there has been an increase in cyclones forming in the Arabian Sea due to global warming. 
• Tropical cyclones have different names depending on their location and strength. For instance, they are known as hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean and the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean. In the western North Pacific, they are called typhoons.

Read more about Tropical Cyclones – What Are Tropical Cyclones?

Naming of Tropical Cyclones

The name ‘Biparjoy’ was suggested by Bangladesh and the word means ‘disaster’ or ‘calamity’ in Bengali. 

• The naming of cyclones is done by countries on a rotational basis, following certain existing guidelines by the World Meteorological Department (WMD). After Bangladesh, the next cyclone will be named ‘Tej’ based on India’s suggestion.
• Worldwide, there are six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and five regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.
• Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is one of the six RSMCs to provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 member countries under the WMO/Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (ESCAP) Panel including Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Conclusion

• While the IMD has typically been successful in predicting cyclones in India, cyclones in the Arabian Sea present unique obstacles.
• Enhancing forecasting techniques, adding more variables, and taking into account the particularities of the Arabian Sea would increase the accuracy of cyclone predictions and assure improved readiness for probable landfall events.

Cyclone Biparjoy:- Download PDF Here

Cyclone Biparjoy:- Download PDF Here