Cyclone Biparjoy intensifies into very severe storm; IMD issues warning to southwestern states

Cyclone Biparjoy, which is Bengali for "calamity," may have a negative impact on the monsoon

Cyclone Biparjoy, which is holding up the onset of monsoon in India, is set to intensify into a very severe storm in the Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on June 7. The cyclone is moving along the west coast, and is likely to further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours, where major ports and refineries are situated.

The IMD issued a warning for the southwestern states, predicting severe weather and sea conditions with wind gusts up to 160 kmph during the next three to four days. Fishermen have also been advised by the IMD to not venture into the sea.

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The weather forecasting agency said the system lying over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea at 8.30am is likely to move nearly northwards.

"Severe Cyclonic storm Biparjoy over eastcentral and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea at 0830 IST of 07th June, near lat 12.7N and lon 66.2E, about 880km WSW of Goa. Likely to move nearly northwards and intensify into VSCS during next 12 hrs," the IMD said in a tweet.

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Cyclone Biparjoy has accelerated by 40 knots (74 kmph) since Tuesday morning, as per the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), the US Department of Defence organisation in charge of issuing tropical cyclone alerts for the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

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Concerns over the already-delayed monsoon have been amplified by Biparjoy, the first cyclonic storm to develop in the Arabian Sea this year. According to reports, Biparjoy, which is Bengali for "calamity," may have a negative impact on the monsoon. Meteorologists have predicted a "mild" monsoon onset over Kerala and "weak" progress beyond southern peninsular under its influence.