Tropical storm heading for Oman coast

UPDATE: Nasa released this October 28, 2014 satellite photo, above, showing Tropical Cyclone Nilofar in the Arabian Sea.

Indian officials have been preparing to evacuate residents and stockpile food as they braced for another “very severe cyclonic storm” due to slam into the country’s west coast and neighbouring Pakistan. Cyclone Nilofar is expected to reach India’s Gujarat state and Pakistan’s southern coastal areas on Friday, October 31, the Indian Meterological Department said. The storm is carrying winds of up to 125 kilometres per hour and is not expected to affect the UAE.

ABU DHABI // A tropical storm is expected to hit the coast of Oman in the next few days, the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology said on Sunday.

The storm, called Tropical Cyclone Nilofar, is not likely to affect the UAE, said a duty forecaster at the weather bureau.

The latest satellite imagery and weather reports indicate that the tropical storm has formed a latitude of 12.5 N and longitude 61.5 E, and is currently about 940 kilometres southeast of Salalah in Oman. It is originating from the centre of the Indian Ocean, the forecaster said.

“Actually now it is less than a tropical storm with wind speeds of 30 to 35 knots over the Indian Ocean, and is affected by strong winds and some clouds,” he said. “According to a report by the meteorological department in India, it is initially moving westwards, towards the southeast of Oman and north of Yemen during the next 72 hours.”

AccuWeather meteorologist Eric Leister on Sunday said there were a couple of scenarios for where the developing cyclone would hit shore with damaging winds, flooding, rain and dangerously rough seas next week. One possibility is that the cyclone would take more of a westward track, causing it to threaten eastern Yemen or Oman by Tuesday into Wednesday. Life-threatening flooding appears to be the greatest concern. However, coastal areas could be battered by damaging winds depending on how strong the cyclone becomes, he said.

Mr Leister said anyone with interests in the southern Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan or northwestern India should monitor this situation closely in the coming days since several factors will determine the exact track of Nilofar.

The duty forecaster at the NCMS said for now the situation does not require action.

Although weather predictions do not show the storm hitting the UAE, the centre will be monitoring the situation and coordinating with India’s meteorological department, he said.

“Tropical cyclones are normal at this time of the year over the south of the Indian continent near Sri Lanka,” he said.

“The weather is cloudy, windy and rainy over the Indian Ocean. For now, this depression or this tropical cyclone will not have any direct influence or effect on the UAE.”

The weather on Monday will be fair to partly cloudy at times, with light to moderate winds, and a probability of mist and fog patches westwards.

It will be partly cloudy and hazy on Tuesday, and the sea is expected to become moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea, the NCMS online forecast states.

On both days, some low and towering clouds may develop over the eastern mountains by afternoon. Relative humidity will increase during the night and early morning over the coast and in the interior, it adds.

rruiz@thenational.ae