What is Cyclone Biparjoy?

Cyclone Biparjoy is a tropical cyclone that formed over the southeast Arabian Sea on June 6, 2023. It is the first cyclone to form in the Arabian Sea this season. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued warnings for a severe cyclonic storm in the coming days. IMD predicts that the cyclonic storm "Biparjoy" will gradually increase over the next 24 hours and move almost north-northwestward over the next three days. At 8:30 a.m., it was centred in latitude 14.0°N and longitude 66.0°E, roughly 850 kilometres west-southwest of Goa, 900 kilometres southwest of Mumbai, 930 kilometres south-southwest of Porbandar, and 1220 kilometres south of Karachi.

The name "Biparjoy" was given to the cyclone by Bangladesh. It means "calamity" or "disaster" in Bengali. The name was chosen from a list of names submitted by member countries of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the west coast of India. Warnings for heavy rain in Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have been issued by the IMD. The IMD has also warned of strong winds gusting up to 160 kilometers per hour.

The cyclone is not expected to cause widespread damage to India, but it could cause some flooding and power outages. People are advised to take precautions and stay safe during the cyclone.

Very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy over eastcentral Arabian Sea at 2330 hours IST of 08th June, 2023 over about 840 km west-southwest of Goa, 870 km west-southwest of Mumbai. To intensify further gradually during next 36 hours and move nearly north-northwestwards in next 2 days. pic.twitter.com/dx6b3VAEN6

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 8, 2023

Here are some tips for staying safe during a cyclone:

• Stay indoors and away from windows.
• Do not drive through flooded areas.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Stay informed about the latest weather conditions.
• Prepare a first-aid kit and keep it with you.
• Stay indoors. 

3D structure of Cyclone Biparjoy, cloud heights touching 18km. Source: GPM, JAXA pic.twitter.com/M1xdLdFAIC

— vineet kumar (@vineet_tropmet) June 9, 2023