The monsoon flows strengthened on Friday afternoon after a low-pressure area popped up over the Bay of Bengal and pulled them in, in effect entirely decoupling from the flows to the very severe cyclone Biparjoy over the East-Central Arabian Sea. Satellite maps in the evening showed divergent flows approaching the Kerala coast with newfound vigour.

‘Low’ pops up over the Bay

The enhanced presence of clouds over the Bay from Thursday was attributed to a cyclonic circulation over the East-Central parts of the basin. They appeared to consolidated in a short period of time to set up a low-pressure area by the afternoon, which the IMD said had already intensified a round to become ‘well-marked’ in the evening. The slow-moving-to-stalling very severe cyclone in the Arabian Sea will combine with the well-marked ‘low’ in the Bay to carry the monsoon on their shoulders.

Twin-engined monsoon

This twin-engined environment is the best the monsoon could have asked for during the onset phase, which was initially thought to wither under the influence of the away-going Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea. The slow-movement of the cyclone located over the East-Central Arabian Sea and the well-marked ‘low’ toying with the Myanmar coast on Friday evening are being keenly watched. It can cut both ways; one can prosper with the other, or even go to snuff out the other, both with implications for the monsoon.

Further advancement seen

The IMD has on Friday afternoon assessed conditions as favourable for further advancement of the monsoon into the remaining parts of Kerala, some more parts of Tamil Nadu, some parts of Karnataka and some more parts of south-West, Central and North-East Bay and some parts of the North-Eastern States by Saturday. It may also enter the remaining parts of the North-Eastern States and some parts of the hilly areas of West Bengal and Sikkim during the subsequent two days.

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Biparjoy may intensify

Meanwhile on Friday, Biparjoy shifted track briefly to the North-East and lay centred over the East-Central Arabian Sea about 780 km West of Goa; 790 km West-South-West of Mumbai; 810 km South-South-West of Porbandar; and 1,100 km South of Karachi in Pakistan. It would intensify further gradually until Saturday evening and continue to move North-North-East during the next two days, before reverting to the original North-North-West track, during the subsequent three days.

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