May 18, 2021 - Tropical Cyclone Tauketae

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   An unusually powerful tropical cyclone named Tauktae struck the Indian
   state of Gujarat on May 17, 2021. The Moderate Resolution Imaging
   Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a
   true-color image of the storm on May 16 as Tropical Cyclone Tauktae
   spun just off the coast of India as it charged northward to make
   landfall between Porbandar and Mahuva less than 24 hours later.

   As Tauktae approached land, the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center
   reported maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (185 km/h) and gusts up to
   145 mph (230 km/h), equivalent to a strong Category 3 storm on the
   Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. That made Tauktae the
   fifth-strongest storm observed in the Arabian Sea since 1998. Winds of
   that strength can easily snap trees, topple power lines, and damage
   homes. The storm also pushed a destructive storm surge of water onto
   the Indian coast; reports suggest it may have been as high as 3 meters
   (10 feet) in some areas.

   Even before making landfall, Tauktae caused a trail of destruction in
   Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra as it brushed India’s northwest
   coast over the weekend. According to news reports, the storm
   contributed to the deaths of at least 12 people, destroyed hundreds of
   homes, and caused power outages and traffic jams. More than 150,000
   people evacuated Gujarat in anticipation of Tauktae’s arrival.

   The North Indian Ocean generates only about 7 percent of the world’s
   tropical cyclones, but storms can be quite devastating when they occur
   because of the large number of people who live along low-lying
   coastlines. Compared to the Bengal Sea to the east, cyclones are
   uncommon in the Arabian Sea, an area that typically sees one or two
   storms per year. Cool water temperatures, dry air, and unfavorable
   upper-level winds typically make storms in the Arabian Sea weak and
   short-lived, though powerful storms occasionally come together under
   the right environmental conditions. In Tauktae’s case, conditions were
   ideal. Upper-level winds were calm and conducive to storm formation.
   Sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea were about 31° Celsius (88°
   Fahrenheit) as the storm approached Gujarat, a few degrees warmer than
   usual for mid-May. A rule of thumb among scientists is that ocean
   temperatures should be above 27° C to sustain a tropical cyclone.

   During the past few decades, a group of NOAA researchers have observed
   an increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea,
   particularly in the post-monsoon season. The group’s modeling results
   indicate that global warming and rising ocean temperatures are among
   the reasons for the change.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Terra
   Date Acquired: 5/16/2021
   Resolutions:  1km (1.9 MB),  500m (5.4 MB),  250m (3.7 MB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-05-18
 
