Cyclone Asna: Will rare cyclonic storm make landfall in Gujarat? Explained

Cyclone Asna updates: The rare meteorological event that originated in the Arabian sea has moved away from the Gujarat coast. The Cyclone Asna that developed as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal on August 16 is set to become a cyclonic storm over the Arabian Sea.

Notably, Cyclone Asna is only the fourth cyclone to develop in the Arabian Sea in August since 1944. The previous these rare cyclones developed in 1944, 1964, and 1976.

Cyclone Asna: Will it make a landfall?

Cyclone Asna is currently, (3.30pm on August 31) moving at a speed of 75 kilometers per hours in the Arabian sea.

The Cyclone Asna is expected to continue moving west-northwest over the northeast and northwest Arabian Sea, away from the Indian coast, within the next 24 hours.

The rare Cyclonic storm is moving away from the Gujarat coast, as it developed on land.

Cyclone Asna: Latest IMD update

• The IMD has said that Cyclonic Storm Asna lay over northeast and adjoining northwest Arabian Sea on 31 August 360 km west of Naliya, 260 km southwest of Karachi, 300 km southeast of Pasni, 720 km east of Muscat.

• The IMD predicted that Cyclone Asna is likely to maintain intensity till morning of 1 September and weaken to depression by morning of 2 September.

• The IMD has issued an orange alert for Saurashtra-Kutch, South Interior Karnataka, and Kerala on August 30, for North Interior Karnataka on August 31, and for Gujarat, Konkan-Goa, and Madhya Maharashtra on September 2-3.

• Very heavy rainfall predicted over Rayalaseema, Interior Karnataka on 31 August to 2 September, Coastal Karnataka, Vidarbha during 31 August and 2 September

• Similar conditions will prevail over West Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada on 1 and 2 September Chhattisgarh, Odisha on 31, Gujarat Region during 2 – 4 September.

• Fishermen has been advised to not venture out in the northeast and adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea

• IMD has also asked fishermen to avoid Gujarat coast and adjoining North Maharashtra Coasts Till 31st August.

• IMD also warned that fishermen should avoid northeast and adjoining Eastcentral Arabian Sea Off Gujarat Coast and along and Off Pakistan Coasts during 31 August to 1 September.

Cyclone Asna: How did the rare cyclone develop?

IMD outlined the Cyclonic storm Asna's development

• Starting as a low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal and Bangladesh on August 16, it moved across Bangladesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand

• By August 24, it had become a well-marked low-pressure area over southeast Uttar Pradesh and northeast Madhya Pradesh.

• Cyclone Asna further intensified into a depression over northwest Madhya Pradesh on August 25, then into a deep depression over East Rajasthan on August 26, eventually affecting Gujarat on August 29.