Stories
Bay of Bengal Cyclone Risk: Rising Sea Surface Temperatures Alarm Scientists
N
News18•04-10-2026, 11:22
Bay of Bengal Cyclone Risk: Rising Sea Surface Temperatures Alarm Scientists
- •IMD expresses concern over rising sea surface temperatures and excess heat accumulation in the Bay of Bengal, potentially altering future weather patterns.
- •Increased ocean temperatures can rapidly intensify cyclones, making them more powerful in a shorter period before landfall.
- •Changes in sea temperature could affect rainfall patterns, increasing risks of heavy rainfall, floods, and coastal erosion in eastern coastal states like Odisha.
- •Meteorologists face challenges as cyclones strengthen at sea but then weaken unexpectedly, complicating accurate weather forecasting.
- •Even slight changes in sea surface temperature significantly impact cyclone strength, posing direct threats to coastal populations and livelihoods.
Key Questions Answered
Meteorologists are concerned due to rising sea surface temperatures and excess heat accumulation in the Bay of Bengal, which can provide additional energy to storms, making them more powerful and allowing them to intensify rapidly before making landfall.
Rising sea temperatures can alter rainfall patterns, putting eastern coastal states like Odisha at risk of heavy rainfall, floods, severe coastal erosion, and impacts on agriculture and fishermen's livelihoods.
According to IMD scientist Umashankar Das, the sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal typically ranges from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, providing ample moisture for weather systems.
