Cyclone Kate Forms In South Indian Ocean

Update: December 25, 2014

In a twist of bureaucratic technicality Cempaka became Kate. Since the cyclone formed lower than 10 degrees south latitude the Australian Met got the honors of christening the storm and not Indonesia.

We had been predicting the arrival of cyclone Kate for the last few days. At 0000 hours GMT today it lay at 11.4 degrees south and 97.2 degrees east with wind speed of 65 kph; The cut-off to be named a cyclone.

For the next two days Kate is just going to toddle around the waters of the South Indian Ocean remaining at the same strength, not weakening, not strengthening. Come December 27, 2014 and Kate will swing into action. She will start intensifying rapidly. She may reach wind speeds of 100 kph and move south.

But Cyclone Kate is going to be short-lived. On December 29, the storm will experience the strong westerlies which will literally tear it apart.

The Cyclone Kate Forecast Track Path issued by the JTWC at 0300 hours GMT today