CYCLONE DANA

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Context:

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for the Odisha coast, as Cyclone Dana is expected to bring wind speeds of 100-120 kilometres per hour.

About Cyclone Dana

Origin	Upper-air circulation over the Bay of Bengal.
Development	Intensified into a severe cyclonic storm due to favorable atmospheric conditions.
Location of Impact	Coastal regions of north Odisha and West Bengal.
Expected Landfall Area	Between Puri and Sagar Island.
Wind Speeds	Forecasted between 100 to 120 kmph.
Key Features	Low atmospheric pressure, high winds, heavy rain, potential flooding.

The Naming Process

• The names of tropical cyclones are managed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which ensures that a predetermined list of names is used for each storm. 
• These names are rotated every six years and follow an alphabetical order. The process is designed to help improve communication, raise awareness, and make it easier for people to follow the path and impact of these storms.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The WMO was established by the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization, signed 11 October 1947 and ratified on 23 March 1950. The WMO is made up of 193 countries and territories. WMO is Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, composed of member states, which meets every four years to set policies and priorities.

The Origin of 'Dana' 

• The name Dana was contributed by Saudi Arabia, one of the 14 countries participating in the WMO's tropical cyclone naming system for the North Indian Ocean. The word "Dana" is derived from Arabic, meaning "generosity" or "bounty." 
• It reflects the region's cultural significance, and naming cyclones after local terms encourages awareness and raises cultural exchange among nations affected by these storms.
• This is not the first time a cyclone has been named after a regional term. 

Some notable examples include: 

• Cyclone Tauktae (named by Myanmar, meaning "gecko") 
• Cyclone Nivar (named by Iran, meaning "light" or "breeze") 
• Cyclone Amphan (named by Thailand, meaning "sky") 

These names help make the storms more relatable and create a sense of regional identity in the global effort to track and predict their paths.

Indian Meteorological Department

It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. 

IMD is headquartered in Delhi and operates hundreds of observation stations across India and Antarctica. Regional offices are Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, Guwahati and New Delhi.

IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organisation. 

It is responsible for forecasting, naming, and distributing warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean region, including the Malacca Straits, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf.

Details about IMD:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/india-meteorological-department#:~:text=At%20present%20IMD%20is%20under,10%20are%20at%20New%20Delhi

REFERENCE- https://www.oneindia.com/india/what-s-behind-cyclone-dana-s-name-and-its-impact-on-odisha-3965747.html

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Tropical cyclones

Weather forecasting plays a vital role in country like India.

Source

DOWNTOEARTH

PRACTICE QUESTION Q.Consider the following statements about cyclones and their geographical locations: Cyclones that form in the Bay of Bengal affect the eastern coastal regions of India. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) names cyclones based on contributions from participating countries in the region where the cyclone forms. Cyclone naming is done in alphabetical order and the list of names is updated every three years. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3 Answer: a Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: Cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal make landfall on the eastern coast. The Bay of Bengal is more prone to cyclones than the Arabian Sea because of its higher sea surface temperature, low vertical shear winds, and adequate moisture in its middle atmosphere. Statement 2 is correct: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) oversees the naming process, which uses a rotating list of names contributed by 14 countries in the North Indian Ocean region. Statement 3 is incorrect: Cyclone names are rotated every six years and follow an alphabetical order. The process is designed to help improve communication, raise awareness, and make it easier for people to follow the path and impact of these storms