Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Vayu is a strong tropical cyclone that is currently affecting the northwestern coast of India and the southeastern coast of Pakistan, and previously affected Lakshadweep and the northern Maldives. It is the strongest tropical cyclone to affect the Saurashtra Peninsula of northwestern India in 21 years. Vayu is the third tropical depression, third cyclonic storm and second very severe cyclonic storm of the 2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, and the first of which to form in the Arabian Sea. Vayu originated from a low-pressure area that was first noted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 9 June, near the northern Maldives. After consolidating into a depression the following day, the storm tracked slowly north-northwestwards over the eastern Arabian Sea while steadily intensifying. The system reached cyclonic storm intensity late on 10 June, and was named Vayu. Steady strengthening continued on 11 June as Vayu tracked parallel to India's western coast, and the system soon reached severe cyclonic storm intensity. Shortly afterwards, Vayu underwent a period of rapid strengthening, becoming a very severe cyclonic storm by late 11 June. Vayu reached peak intensity at 12:00 UTC on the following day, as a high-end very severe cyclonic storm, with 3-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph), and a central barometric pressure of 978 hPa (28.88 inHg). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center estimated 1-minute sustained winds to have peaked at 175 km/h (110 mph) on the next day, equivalent to a mid-range Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS).