page_title: Cyclone Nilofar
section_title: Preparations and impact
hierarchical_section_title: Cyclone Nilofar / Preparations and impact
caption_attribution_description: English: Tropical Cyclone Nilofar (04A) in the Arabian Sea
context_page_description: Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Nilofar was, at the time, the third-strongest cyclone in the Arabian Sea. In late October 2014, it reached peak maximum sustained winds estimated between 205 km/h and 215 km/h. The India Meteorological Department named it Nilofar; the name refers to the water lily, and was suggested by Pakistan. The western fringes of the storm caused flash flooding in northeastern Oman, killing four people.
  Nilofar originated from a low pressure area between India and the Arabian Peninsula. It developed into a depression on October 25 and moved generally northward through an area of favorable conditions. The system intensified into a cyclonic storm on October 26. Quickly organizing due to the conditions, Nilofar developed a well-defined eye and structure, attaining its peak intensity on October 28. At the time, Nilofar was expected to make landfall in western India, prompting evacuations and preparations. However, high wind shear caused the storm to rapidly weaken, and Nilofar degraded into a remnant low pressure area on October 31 off the Indian state of Gujarat.
context_section_description: Offshore buoys recorded 3.2 m (10.5 ft) waves and winds of 41 km/h (25 mph). The outskirts of the storm caused flash flooding in Al-Rustaq in northeastern Oman, killing four people after a vehicle was swept away in a flooded wadi. Five people were rescued when another car was stranded amid floods west of Al-Rustaq.
  In the storm's developmental stages, the outskirts of Nilofar dropped 410 mm (16 in) of rainfall in Margao, Goa, helping the state record its wettest October in four years. Other nearby areas along India's west coast received heavy rainfall. The threat of the storm prompted officials to evacuate nearly 30,000 people in western India, utilizing 200 storm shelters. Most of the displaced people were living in thatched huts and weak structures. In coastal areas, schools were canceled for two days. Most of the evacuees quickly returned home after the storm weakened. To minimize damage, trees were trimmed down to eliminate damage due to falling debris, and a total suspension of fishing activities was ordered, with about 5,000 boats advised to return to port. Officials in Gujarat sent a warning of the storm to all operators of ham radios. A distant warning signal 2 was hoisted in the ports of Kandla and Mundra. National Disaster Response Force deployed rescue and rehabilitation teams at Gandhidham, Dwarka, Porbandar, Veraval, Rajkot and Bhuj while standby teams were stationed at Ahmedabad and Vadodara. After facing problems during deadly floods in September and Cyclone Hudhud in October, mobile companies enacted greater preparations during Nilofar to guarantee operations during the storm, including an emergency hotline, setting up internet in shelters, and mobile cell towers. Despite the threat from the storm, Nilofar only produced light rainfall and gusty winds along the Gujarat coast. Unseasonable rainfall damaged mangoes in Maharashtra, causing prices to rise. Shifting air patterns brought cooler temperatures to western India, signaling the end of the monsoon season, while also bringing haze and smog over Delhi from polluting areas to the south.
  In Pakistan, fishermen were also warned to avoid the sea, and people in coastal areas were evacuated. The country's navy, coast guard, Maritime Security Agency, and fishermen organizations helped rescue fishermen stationed offshore. Along the coast of Sindh province, bathing and swimming were banned for several days. There were minor power outages in Karachi due to heavy rainfall from Nilofar.
caption: Cyclone Nilofar succumbing to strong wind shear on October 30. Note part of the low-level circulation exposed on the west side of the central dense overcast
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