December 30, 2014: Today's Forecasts In A Nut-Shell

LATEST XWF-WEATHER FORECASTS: A SUMMARY

Depression 95B has proved to have more stamina than expected. It is braving the cold waters as it ascends the latitudes in the Bay of Bengal. Likely to dissipate by January 2, 2015. Rains expected in east coast of India and Bangladesh.

Jangmi will not intensify much but will reach Thailand as a rain-maker. 

Kate goes strong as a category 3 hurricane tearing down the S Indian Ocean. Will start weakening soon.

North West Australia faces Cyclone Lam on January 6, 2015. Even Perth will be affected.

The Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, Reunion) will have a depression first (Or a cyclone) than may be a big cyclone on January 15-16, 2015.

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