Why in news?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on 3 October 2025 that a depression over the northeast Arabian Sea had intensified into Cyclone Shakhti. The warning prompted authorities to alert fishermen and coastal communities.
Formation and movement
- Origin: The system formed from a low‑pressure area off the Gujarat coast, where sea surface temperatures were unusually warm.
- Intensification: Favourable conditions, such as high humidity and weak vertical wind shear, allowed it to strengthen into a cyclonic storm.
- Predicted track: IMD forecast that Shakhti would move west‑southwest towards the Arabian Peninsula without making landfall in India.
Why are cyclones occurring more frequently in the Arabian Sea?
- Warming waters: Climate change is raising sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea, providing more energy for storm formation.
- Changing wind patterns: Monsoon circulation shifts can influence where low‑pressure systems develop and how they move.
Preparedness and warnings
- Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea, and those already at sea were asked to return to port.
- Coastal authorities monitored tide levels to prepare for potential storm surges.
Although Shakhti did not make landfall in India, it highlighted the need for improved early‑warning systems and climate resilience in coastal regions.