Context

• According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Remal is originating in the Bay of Bengal. As a result, there will be heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal, North Odisha, Mizoram, Tripura and South Manipur on 26-27 May.  

Key Points

• It is a tropical cyclone. This is also the first cyclone of this season. Due to which there will be heavy rainfall even before the arrival of monsoon. 

About Tropical Cyclone

• Tropical cyclones originate on the surface of the ocean between 8 degrees latitude and 15 degrees latitude in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. These are considered devastating natural disasters. 
• These are called cyclones in the Indian Ocean, typhoons in the China Sea, typhoons in the Sea of Japan, willy-willies in Western Australia and hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea.
• The average annual frequency of occurrence of these cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) is about 5.
• It is noteworthy that their direction is counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Tropical cyclones are highly destructive atmospheric storms, which originate in the oceanic region between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and then flow towards the land area.
• Due to the effect of ITCZ, winds from different areas converge in the center of low air pressure and due to the effect of Coriolis force, they rise up following a circular path. As a result, tropical cyclones are formed with the help of circular isobars.
• Due to the greater influence of the trade easterly wind belt, their direction of movement is generally from east to west.
• These cyclones are not always dynamic. Sometimes they remain at one place for several days and cause heavy rainfall.
• A calm area is found in the middle/center of a tropical cyclone, which is called the ‘eye of the cyclone’. 

Major areas of tropical cyclones

• Caribbean Sea
• china sea
• Indian Ocean
• Australia

Important Facts For Exam

• Name of cyclones & Areas
• Typhoon: Southeast Asia and China 
• Hurricane : North Atlantic Eastern Pacific 
• Willy-Willy: North West Australia 
• Cyclones : South West Pacific and Indian Ocean 
• Tornado:  West Africa and Southern United States

Indian Meteorological Department (IMO)

• Formation – 1875
• Headquarters – New Delhi
• Regional Office – Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, Guwahati, New Delhi
• Ministry – Ministry of Earth Sciences