Rain and showers have occurred over the eastern coast of Oman since last 24 hours. This rainfall is due to cyclone Ashobaa which is currently 300 km east of Sur, Oman and about 450 km southeast of Muscat, Oman.
Ashobaa started as a depression in the central Arabian Sea and quickly strengthened into a cyclone and is likely to become a severe cyclone as the sea water temperature is conducive for its intensification. After intensifying into a severe cyclone it will stay as a severe cyclone for a brief period. Post which it will fizzle out quickly and turn into a depression after making landfall.
However, the weather system would continue to affect Oman as a depression even after landfall before gradually losing steam. Cyclone Ashobaa is currently packing maximum sustained winds of around 100 kmph gusting to 120 kmph along with storm surge of 18 feet. The cyclone is moving slowly in a west-northwest direction towards Oman.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall by tomorrow evening/night. However, the periphery has already started affecting the eastern coast of Oman. According to various weather models, the expected path is likely to cross somewhere between Muscat and Sur. The forecast suggests that severe weather is likely in the next 48 hours. There are chances that the cyclone could affect parts of UAE. The cyclone will cause travel disruption especially air travel.
Image credit: bhatkallys.com
