BY COLLIN RUANE

A massive tropical cyclone half the size of India is zeroing in on the country home to

more than one billion people.

As of Friday, meteorologists say winds from Cyclone Phailin are clocking in at about 170

miles per hour. Those wind speeds would easily make it comparable to a category five hurricane.

(Via The Weather Channel)

Not only is the storm strong — it's been developing quickly. The Washington Post reports

the storm's winds shot up more than 80 miles per hour in an 18-hour period between Wednesday

and Thursday. That type of extreme intensity is very rare.

Meteorologists say Phailin's large size and intensity are similar to the strength of Hurricane

Katrina back in 2005 and could have similar devastating effects in northeast India. (Via

WEWS)

One of the reasons Phailin is so intense is the Bay of Bengal's high water temperature.

It's possible the storm could strengthen more because of it. (Via Al Jazeera)

NDTV points out India also has some of the strongest tropical systems in the world.

Back in 1999, a similar storm struck India, killing more than 15,000 people. Indian government

officials say the country is more prepared this time around.

One of the states in India expected to be hit the hardest is home to more than 40 million

people overall, and 700 people per square mile.

USA Today notes the Bay of Bengal is the same place where almost three-fourths of the world's

35 deadliest tropical systems have formed. Forty years ago, a strong cyclone hit Bangladesh

killing more than 300,000 people.

The death toll in India shouldn't be that high as residents expected to be hardest hit

have been evacuated from the coastline. Cyclone Phailin is expected to make landfall in India

sometime Saturday.