Signatures of very severe cyclonic storm Phailin in met-ocean parameters observed by moored buoy network in the Bay of Bengal

The moored buoy network deployed in the Bay of Bengal played a critical role in the collection and transmission of surface meteorological and oceanographic conditions in real time through satellite telemetry, enabling constant monitoring of the cyclone Phailin. It is the first report of in situ time-series measurement of a very low pressure taken during cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean. The BD10 buoy recorded a minimum atmospheric pressure of 920 hPa, which happened to be within the eye of the cyclone. This article presents an account of important changes that were observed in the surface meteorological and oceanographic parameters under the influence of the very severe cyclonic storm Phailin. An attempt has been made to understand the role of stratification in intensifying the cyclone Phailin in comparison with the cyclone Lehar which weakened in the ocean itself, based on subsurface data from the moored buoys which were on the track of the respective cyclones. Both the cyclones traversed across the Bay of Bengal in a similar way and the buoys were very close to the cyclone track withstood the rough sea conditions during the storms with their specially designed body. The BD09 buoy which happened to be on the right side of the track of cyclone Phailin moved in a circular path as a result of the inertial oscillation forced by the strong cyclonic winds.