Cyclones Gulab and Shaheen

North Indian Ocean cyclones in 2021

Cyclonic Storm Gulab
Severe Cyclonic Storm Shaheen
Severe Cyclonic Storm Shaheen nearing landfall in Oman on October 3
Meteorological history
as Cyclonic Storm Gulab
FormedSeptember 24, 2021
DissipatedSeptember 28, 2021
Cyclonic storm
3-minute sustained (IMD)
Highest winds85 km/h (50 mph)
Lowest pressure992 hPa (mbar); 29.29 inHg
Tropical storm
1-minute sustained (SSHWS)
Highest winds75 km/h (45 mph)
Lowest pressure991 hPa (mbar); 29.26 inHg
Meteorological history
as Severe Cyclonic Storm Shaheen
FormedSeptember 30, 2021
DissipatedOctober 4, 2021
Severe cyclonic storm
3-minute sustained (IMD)
Highest winds110 km/h (70 mph)
Lowest pressure984 hPa (mbar); 29.06 inHg
Category 1-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds130 km/h (80 mph)
Lowest pressure976 hPa (mbar); 28.82 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities34 total
Damage$791 million
Areas affectedMyanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Baluchistan, Sindh, Oman, United Arab Emirates, eastern Saudi Arabia, Yemen
IBTrACS

Part of the 2021 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Cyclonic Storm Gulab (/ɡˈləb/) and Severe Cyclonic Storm Shaheen (/ʃəˈhn/) were two tropical cyclones that caused considerable damage to South and West Asia during the 2021 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. Gulab impacted India and Pakistan,[1][2] while Shaheen impacted Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Gulab was the third named storm of the 2021 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, as well as the fourth named storm of the season after its reformation in the Arabian Sea as Shaheen. The cyclone's origins can be traced back to a low-pressure area situated over the Bay of Bengal on September 24. The Pakistan Meteorological Department named this new cyclone Gulab.On September 26, Gulab made landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh but weakened overland, before degenerating into a remnant low on September 28. The system continued moving westward, emerging into the Arabian Sea on September 29, before regenerating into a depression early on September 30. Early on October 1, the system restrengthened into a Cyclonic Storm, which the IMD named Shaheen. The system gradually strengthened as it entered the Gulf of Oman. While slowly moving westward, the storm turned southwestward, subsequently making an extremely rare landfall in Oman on October 3, as a Category 1-equivalent cyclone. Shaheen then rapidly weakened, before dissipating the next day.

The name Gulab was given by Pakistan, meaning 'rose' in Urdu.[3] The name Shaheen, provided by Qatar, means 'falcon' in Arabic.[4] The system overall brought heavy rain and strong winds throughout India, Pakistan and the Middle East.[5][6][7] Water-related damage was extensive, while communications were disrupted as winds downed many power lines. Hundreds of roads were closed in India. Heavy rainfall occurred in Karachi, Pakistan. Shaheen delivered extreme rainfall to Oman, causing flooding across a wide area of the country's northeastern governorates. Muscat saw particularly heavy flooding, which submerged cars and other low-lying objects.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
circle Tropical cyclone
square Subtropical cyclone
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression