Cyclone Lehar

Meteorological history

On November 19, 2013 the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that a tropical depression had developed, about 365 km (225 mi) to the west of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Over the next few days the system moved towards the west-northwest and moved into an extremely favourable environment, for further development while located over the Malay Peninsula during November 21. The system was subsequently last noted by the JMA during the next day, as it crossed 100°E and moved into the Andaman Sea.

There, it developed a well-defined low-level circulation center (LLCC). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical cyclone formation alert (TCFA) on the system, assuming that it would intensify further as it moves into warmer sections of the Bay of Bengal. Tracking westward at over 08 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph), the system gradually intensified over the next 24 hours. Early on November 23, the JTWC classified the system as a Tropical Storm, designating it with 05B. A couple of hours later, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) started tracking this system as a Depression. It was initially assigned the code BOB 07. Early the next day, the IMD reported that BOB 07 had reached deep depression status, and immediately afterwards, they upgraded BOB 07 into a cyclonic storm, naming it Lehar. Being located in an area of moderate vertical wind shear of around 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), convection gradually consolidated around the LLCC, though being slightly displaced towards the northwest. Later that day, Lehar developed a weak microwave eye-like feature.

Lehar made its first landfall south of Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar, early on November 25. However, it maintained strength. The cyclone strengthened further and developed strong radial outflow, compensating the moderate vertical wind shear in the region. Following this development, the IMD upgraded Lehar to a Severe Cyclonic Storm. The JTWC also upgraded the system to a Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on the SSHS with winds of over 65 knots (120 km/h; 75 mph). However, multispectral satellite imagery showed that a deep central dense overcast was obscuring the low level circulation. The JTWC had poor confidence in the storm's position and couldn't exactly locate its center. Lehar continued to track in a westerly direction just along the periphery of a subtropical ridge. Early on November 26, the IMD upgraded Lehar to a Very Severe Cyclonic storm. Meanwhile, they have warned the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha of heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Under the steering influence of the subtropical ridge, Lehar continued to track in a west-northwesterly direction. The storm maintained a peak 1-minute average sustained windspeed of 75 knots (139 km/h; 86 mph). On passing over cooler waters and experiencing moderate easterly vertical wind shear, the storm started losing intensity. Though deep convection persisted along its well-define center, microwave imagery depicted drier air, restricting moist inflow along the southwestern periphery of the system. On November 27, the convection around the storm's center started losing its structural organization. A scatterometer pass indicated the elongation of the LLCC with weakening wind field. Thereafter, Leher rapidly weakened into a Depression and made landfall south of Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh on November 28. Increased frictional forces led to the degeneration of the storm into a well-marked low pressure area, while it moved inland.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The cyclone affected the Andaman Islands with heavy rain and gusts. It caused flooding, land slides, road blockage, uprooting of trees and damage to buildings. More than two dozen fishermen went missing and almost all of them were rescued by the Coast Guard and police. In Little Andaman, more than 2000 people were evacuated and kept in Onge-tikrey community hall there. In the nearby Havelock Island, about 1500 people got shelter in the panchayat community hall. Mayabander and Port Blair recorded heavy rainfall of 243 mm and 213 mm respectively in 24 hours as the cyclone made landfall. Four flights originating from Chennai bound to Port Blair were cancelled due to the cyclone on November 25 while 110 km/h (68 mph) winds hit the islands.

Andhra Pradesh

The Government of Andhra Pradesh had arranged four military choppers while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 15 teams across the state, while another 15 were being arranged for rescue and relief operations immediately after the storm. The four choppers were kept at Visakhapatnam. The state's chief minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy told the district collectors of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts to evacuate all the people living in low-lying areas to higher ground. Local state health officials were warned of a potential outbreak of diseases due to extremely heavy rainfall brought by the storm. On 27 November, the state government started evacuations across East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts. About 45,000 people were evacuated in total from the districts of Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari and West Godavari. Because the storm rapidly weakened into a minimal depression before landfall, no fatalities or significant damage to property due to cyclone-related events were reported.

Odisha

The Government of Odisha asked all fishermen to return to the coast and then evacuate to safer places on November 25. The director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre asked the ports of Paradip and Gopalpur to hoist danger signals in preparation for the storm.