Cyclone Nilofar
| Extremely severe cyclonic storm (IMD scale) | |
|---|---|
| Category 4 (Saffir–Simpson scale) | |
Nilofar shortly before peak intensity on October 28, 2014
|
|
| Formed | October 25, 2014 |
| Dissipated | October 31, 2014 |
| Highest winds |
3-minute sustained: 205 km/h (125 mph) 1-minute sustained: 215 km/h (130 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 950 hPa (mbar); 28.05 inHg |
| Fatalities | 4 total |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Oman, India, Pakistan |
| Part of the 2014 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Nilofar was, at the time, the third-strongest cyclone in the Arabian Sea. In late October 2014, it reached peak maximum sustained winds estimated between 205 km/h (125 mph) and 215 km/h (130 mph). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) named it Nilofar; the name refers to the water lily, and was suggested by Pakistan. The western fringes of the storm caused flash flooding in northeastern Oman, killing four people.
Nilofar originated from a low pressure area between India and the Arabian Peninsula. It developed into a depression on October 25 and moved generally northward through an area of favorable conditions. The system intensified into a cyclonic storm on October 26. Quickly organizing due to the conditions, Nilofar developed a well-defined eye and structure, attaining its peak intensity on October 28. At the time, Nilofar was expected to make landfall in western India, prompting evacuations and preparations. However, high wind shear caused the storm to rapidly weaken, and Nilofar degraded into a remnant low pressure area on October 31 off the Indian state of Gujarat.
Toward the middle of October 2014, the monsoon trough was active over the Arabian Sea off the west coast of India. A circulation formed on October 19 near the Lakshadweep archipelago, remaining nearly stationary for several days. It developed a distinct low pressure area on October 21, and produced an intense area of convection by the next day. Despite moderate wind shear, conditions favored further development, including warm water temperatures and good outflow, amplified by an anticyclone to its east-northeast. The structure became more organized by October 24, when broken rainbands were rotating around a poorly-defined circulation. That day, the American-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) classified it as a tropical depression, although the agency did not issue warnings at the time. At 00:00 UTC on October 25, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) classified the system as a depression about 1270 km (790 mi) southeast of Muscat, Oman.
...
Wikipedia