Cyclone Mocha in Odisha, Bay of Bengal: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared the birth of a cyclonic or low-pressure region in the Bay of Bengal, which may result in massive rainfall in the area from May 8 to May 12. The weather system is predicted to generate a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal on May 9, which will ultimately intensify into a cyclonic storm.
This newly formed weather phenomenon will be referred to as Cyclone Mocha (pronounced ‘Mokha’), with the southern regions also anticipated to experience precipitation. Moderate rainfall is anticipated in most areas during this period, with isolated occurrences of heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
IMD’s warning amid ahead of the cyclone
- Fishermen warned of rains and high-speed winds in southeast Bay of Bengal from Sunday onwards
- Those over southeast Bay of Bengal advised to return to safer places before May 7, and those over central Bay of Bengal advised to return before May 9
- Cyclonic storm expected to make landfall on eastern coast of India between May 7 and May 9
- Area likely to concentrate into a depression on May 8, followed by intensification into a cyclonic storm moving nearly northwards towards central Bay of Bengal
- Regulation of tourism, offshore activities, and shipping suggested near Andaman and Nicobar Islands between May 8 and 12
How are these cyclones named?
Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons, are named using a specific naming convention established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO maintains rotating lists of names for tropical cyclones, with each list containing names that are used sequentially to name storms in a given year.
The lists include names that are region-specific, so for example, the names used in the North Atlantic will differ from those used in the Eastern Pacific, the Western Pacific, or the Indian Ocean. Each year, the names used in each region are chosen in advance, with the lists being repeated every few years.
When a cyclone develops, it is given the name at the top of the list for the relevant region. The names are chosen to be easy to remember and pronounce, as well as not to cause offence to any particular culture or group of people. Once a cyclone is named, the name stays with the storm for its entire duration, even if it changes in intensity or moves into a different region.