Cyclone Biparjoy sets record as longest-duration storm in northern Indian Ocean since 1977
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Cyclone Biparjoy, which recently wreaked havoc in Gujarat and Pakistan, has been declared the longest-duration cyclonic storm in the northern Indian Ocean since 1977.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone was the first of the season in the Arabian Sea and formed on June 6 over the southeast Arabian Sea. It made landfall over Saurashtra and Kutch on June 15 before weakening into a depression on June 18.
In a report on Biparjoy, the IMD stated that the cyclonic storm lasted for a total of 13 days and three hours, which is more than double the average duration of severe cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea. The previous record for the longest-lasting cyclone in the northern Indian Ocean was set between November 8 and 23, 1977, with a duration of 14 days and six hours.
Recent cyclones in the region, such as extremely severe cyclonic storm Kyarr in October 2019 and very severe cyclonic storm Gaja in November 2018, had durations of nine days and 15 hours. However, Biparjoy surpassed these records with its extended lifespan.
One notable characteristic of Biparjoy was its erratic path. It changed tracks nine times over its 2,525-kilometer trajectory. This unpredictability posed challenges for meteorologists in accurately predicting the cyclone's path. Biparjoy also intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on June 11 but weakened to a very severe cyclonic storm by the time it made landfall four days later.
The IMD report highlighted that Biparjoy exhibited slow movement throughout its existence, with an average translational speed of 7.7 kilometers per hour. This pace was significantly slower than the average speed for very severe cyclonic storms during the monsoon season in the Arabian Sea, which is approximately 15 kilometers per hour.
During its formation and growth stage, the weather system rapidly intensified but experienced fluctuations in intensity during different times of the day. The IMD noted significant diurnal variations in the convective clouds associated with the cyclone, with intensified activity observed in the afternoon and early hours.
During the cyclone, alerts were disseminated to coastal districts through over 32.67 crore SMSes using the Sachet protocol of the National Disaster Management Authority to ensure public safety. Furthermore, INCOIS (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services) sent 5.63 crore SMSes to fishermen, and 2.7 lakh SMSes were distributed to registered users, including the general public and disaster managers in coastal states at the central and state levels.
Satellite observations from INSAT-3D and 3DR, SCAT SAT, ASCAT, microwave imageries, as well as data from ships, buoys, and Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) stations in Bhuj and Jaipur were also used to monitor Biparjoy.