Cyclone Nisha (2008)

Cyclonic Storm Nisha

Cyclonic storm (IMD scale)
Tropical storm (Saffir–Simpson scale)
Tropical Cyclone Nisha
Formed	November 25, 2008
Dissipated	November 29, 2008
Highest winds	3-minute sustained: 85 km/h (50 mph) 1-minute sustained: 100 km/h (65 mph)
Lowest pressure	996 hPa (mbar); 29.41 inHg
Fatalities	204
Damage	$800 million (2008 USD)
Areas affected	Sri Lanka, India
Part of the 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Cyclone Nisha (IMD designation: BOB 07, JTWC designation: 06B, also known as Cyclonic Storm Nisha) was the ninth tropical cyclone of the 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and the seventh tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal that year. A fairly weak tropical cyclone, it caused some notable damage in India and Sri Lanka.

On November 24 an area of low pressure formed over land in Sri Lanka. Later that day the Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed the low-pressure area's chance of becoming a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours as 'poor', due to the minimal convection near the Low Level Circulation Center. The next morning the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the low-pressure area, stating it had a 'good' chance of becoming a significant tropical cyclone within 24 hours, as the Low Level Circulation Center was moving into the Bay of Bengal. Two hours later the IMD upgraded the area of low pressure to Depression BOB 07. Three hours later the India Meteorological Department reported that the depression had intensified into a Deep Depression whilst remaining stationary. Later that day the JTWC upgraded the Deep Depression to Tropical Cyclone 06B and reported that the depression had wind speeds equivalent to a tropical storm, on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale.

Early on November 26, the India Meteorological Department upgraded the deep depression to a Cyclonic Storm and named it Nisha. Later that day as Nisha moved northwest towards India, both the JTWC and the IMD reported that Nisha had reached its peak wind speeds of 55 kts (63 mph 102 km/h 1-min) 45 knots (52 mph 83 km/h 3-min). Early the next day the IMD reported that Cyclonic Storm Nisha had made landfall in Tamil Nadu, India at 0030 UTC. Later that day as the IMD reported that Nisha had weakened into a deep depression, The JTWC issued their final advisory on Nisha. The IMD then reported that Nisha had weakened into a Depression and then issued their last advisory the next day, reporting that Nisha had weakened into a well-marked area of low pressure.