Biophysical responses to tropical cyclone Hudhud over the Bay of Bengal

Abstract

Cyclone Hudhud originated in the Andaman Sea on 6 October 2014. Later, it intensified into a cyclonic storm on 8 October and eventually made landfall at Visakhapatnam on 12 October as a very severe cyclonic storm. It was intensified off of Visakhapatnam by high stratified waters with a thick barrier layer that held significant heat content. In this study, we analysed the data along the cyclone track using a combination of satellite, in-situ Argo and Bio-Argo data to assess the upper oceanic changes along the Hudhud track. Notable changes were detected in the upper ocean due to its extreme intensification and prior passage through cold-core eddies. A high translation speed and persistent stratification dominated the effects caused by the cold-core eddies on the intensification of the cyclone and the same was attributed to the upwelled subsurface chlorophyll maxima. The biophysical changes in the top 150 m layer derived from Argo floats were in good agreement with the satellite and model data. Further, it was observed that the increase in lightning flash rates also influenced surface productivity during the cyclone. Subsequent to the passage of the cyclone, the ocean took two weeks to achieve its original state.