After longest lull since '12, year's first cyclone forms

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a 4pm bulletin on Friday that a deep depression in the northeast Arabian Sea had intensified into a cyclone at 11.30am, ending an unusually calm period for India's coasts.

- Abhishek Jha

This is the first cyclone to form in the North Indian Ocean this year — a dry spell not seen since 2012, when no cyclones were reported in either the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea up to September.

To be sure, this cyclone is more likely to make the seas rough than cause havoc inland. IMD's bulletin shows that it is likely to move further away from India as it intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm.

A cyclone in October is also not surprising. Historical data suggests that October-December is the busiest season of cyclones near India’s coasts. October in particular has the second highest frequency of cyclones. What is somewhat interesting is that the first cyclone of the season has formed in the Arabian Sea, which reports a lower frequency of cyclones than the Bay of Bengal (BoB).

Where is Cyclone Shakhti and where will it go?