Here’s what a cyclone making ‘landfall’ means

• The deep depression in the Arabian Sea strengthened into a cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' on Tuesday morning and will make landfall close to Alibag, 94 kms south of Mumbai on the afternoon of June 3.
• Landfall is when the eye of the cyclone move to land after being on the water
  
• A landfall often carries heavy winds, lashing rains, increasing sea level that can pose threat to people living in the neighbouring region.

The deep depression in the Arabian Sea strengthened into a cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' on Tuesday morning and will make landfall close to Alibag, 94 kms south of Mumbai on the afternoon of June 3.

It will make landfall as a 'severe cyclonic storm' with a wind speed of 100-110 kmh gusting to 120 kmh.

The cyclonic storm is currently located 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 430km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 640 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat).

What is Landfall?

According to the US National Hurricane Center, “A Landfall is the intersection of the center of a tropical cyclone with a coastline.” In other words, landfall is when the eye of the cyclone move to land after being on the water. This does not mean that cyclone has ‘hit the land’ or arrived. The cyclone arrives hours before the landfall bringing rainfall and dust storms.

A landfall often carries heavy winds, lashing rains, increasing sea level that can pose threat to people living in the neighbouring region.

Hurricane or cyclone can start losing its energy and speed after hitting the land as they get energy from the warm ocean water. However, that doesn't happen so quickly.

Often, the cyclone can move over to land, its wind field tends to increase. Thus, it can affect a larger area than what scientists may have calculated. A larger wind field along the coast results in storms and rising ocean waves.

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