Extremely dangerous Cyclone Sidr bears down on Bangladesh and India

[Junkdrawer]

Tropical Cyclone Sidr, a powerful Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds, is bearing down on the densely populated coasts of Bangladesh and India. Landfall is expected along a low-lying stretch of coast near the Calcutta (Kolkata) in just 36 hours. Sidr (the Arabic word for the the jujube tree) is only the second major (Category 3 or higher) tropical cyclone to affect the Bay of Bengal this decade. The other was Tropical Cyclone Mala, which hit Myanmar as a Category 3 storm on April 28, 2006, killing 22 people.



Sidr weakened briefly yesterday, as its inner eyewall collapsed and was replaced by a new outer eyewall with a larger diameter. Now that this process is complete, Sidr has taken advantage of the low wind shear and high heat content oceanic waters it find itself over, and was intensified. As the storm continues northwards over the next 24 hours, the storm should be able to maintain its intensity. However, in the 12 hours prior to landfall, there will be a sharp increase in wind shear associated with a trough of low pressure. Ocean heat content will be on the decline as well, and the best guess is that Sidr will be a Category 1 or 2 cyclone when it hits land.




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http://www.weatherunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=862&tstamp=200711