Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The severe cyclonic storm Shakhti, currently over the northwest and northeast Arabian Sea, is expected to have little impact on Goa as it tracks west-southwest, moving away from the Indian coastline.
The storm, which developed from a deep depression on Friday, was located approximately 470 km west of Dwarka and 420 km southwest of Karachi by Saturday morning, advancing at a speed of 18 km/h.
Retired NIO chief scientist and meteorologist M.R. Ramesh Kumar said, “Its impact on Goa will be minimal unless the storm shifts direction toward Gujarat or Maharashtra in the coming days.”
Shakhti is the latest in a series of cyclones forming over the Arabian Sea, which has seen 25 of the 70 systems affecting peninsular India in the past 15 years originate in this region. The cyclone developed under favorable conditions including sea surface temperatures above 27°C, low vertical wind shear, and adequate mid-tropospheric moisture.
While Goa faces only light to moderate rainfall in the coming days, Maharashtra remains on alert, and fishermen have been advised to stay away from the sea as a precautionary measure.
