Cyclone Shaheen: Likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm over Arabian Sea – Know key details

Cyclone Shaheen is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours. October 1, 2021, the deep depression over the northeast Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast intensified into cyclonic storm Shaheen around 5.30 am, informed the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The deep depression has been caused by the remnants of cyclone Gulab. The weather system caused heavy rains in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat in the past 24 hours.

The DD over northeast Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, intensified into a Cyclonic Storm ‘Shaheen’ at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 1st October, 2021. It is very likely to further intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/6yaaJTVzkY

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 1, 2021

Deep depression over northeast Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast

The well-marked low-pressure area over south Gujarat region and adjoining Gulf of Khambhat and the remnants of cyclonic storm Gulab on September 29 moved west-northwestwards, emerged into the Gulf of Kutch, and intensified into a deep depression which lay centered as a deep depression over the northeast Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast.

The deep depression is approximately 255-km east-northeast of Devbhoomi Dwarka in Gujarat, 180-km south-southwest of Karachi in Pakistan, and 660-km east-southeast of Chabahar Port in Iran, stated IMD.

Cyclone Shaheen likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm

The deep depression system is likely to move west-northwestwards towards the Pakistan-Makran coasts away from the Indian coast. It is expected to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm Shaheen with windspeed upto 90 to 110 kmph.

Though the system will not hit the Indian coast but is likely to bring heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall across Saurashtra and Kutch region during the next 12 hours with wind speed gusting up to 70 kmph over the northeast and east-central the Arabian Sea off south Gujarat coast and off north Maharashtra coast.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea and stay off Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts. Tourism and recreational activities across the Gujarat coast will also be suspended till October 1, 2021.

However, the weather system across Gujarat has resulted in heavy to very heavy rainfall. The active monsoon system in Gujarat throughout September has helped the state account for 54 per cent (426mm of 789mm) of seasonal rainfall. The state was on the brink of a deficient year in terms of rainfall activity.

Cyclonic storm Gulab

Cyclonic storm Gulab had begun as a depression in the Bay of Bengal on September 25, 2021. The depression system intensified as deep depression and made landfall on Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on September 26, 2021. Cyclonic storm Gulab was the third cyclonic storm in 2021 in India after Tauktae and Yaas.