Cyclonic Storm ‘Burevi’

The Deep Depression over the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal has been intensified into a cyclonic storm. This has been named as ‘Burevi’ by the Maldives.

Highlights

  • The MET Department has highlighted that the cyclonic system is currently centred at about 400 km east-southeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.
  • It will cross the Sri Lankan coast near Trincomalee by December 2.
  • It will emerge into the Gulf of Mannar and its adjoining Comorin area.
  • It will also cross the shores between Pamban and Kanyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu.
  • Tamil Nadu, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai districts will get heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places.

Tropical Cyclone

This cyclone is an intense circular storm. It originates over the warm tropical oceans. Tropical cyclone is characterized by low atmospheric pressure, high winds and heavy rain. The characteristic feature of tropical cyclones is the eye which is the central region of clear skies, warm temperatures and low atmospheric pressure. These storms rotate anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere while clockwise in the southern hemisphere. These storms have different names in different regions:

  1. Hurricanes in the North Atlantic and eastern Pacific
  2. Typhoons in South East Asia and China.
  3. Tropical cyclones in southwest Pacific and Indian Ocean region
  4. Willy-willies in north-western Australia.

How they are developed?

Water takes up heat from the atmosphere before the cloud formation and  change into a vapour. When this water vapour converts back into liquid form as raindrops, heat is released to the atmosphere.  This heat warms the surrounding air and then the air rises and cause a drop in pressure. As a result of this, more air comes towards  the centre of the storm and the cycle is repeated.

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