Muscat, Oct 7 - The tropical storm heading towards the Sultanate is expected to intensify further in the next 24 hours, according to the Met Office. Abdullah al Balushi, Chief of Meteorological Quality and Safety, said the centre of the tropical system (also called the eye) is moving in the west and northwest direction. The distance between the centre of the storm-, now classified by the Met Department as deep depression, and Salalah is 1,270 km. Asked where the storm might make the landfall, he said: “There are two main scenarios: it could head towards Gulf of Aden or between Yemen and Oman border.” He also saw a third possibility; it could head towards Dhofar, and then Wusta.
“In the next 48 hours, the picture will become clearer and we can be more confident about the forecast. So let us wait and watch,” he added. “After continuous verification of all data, we can arrive at a better weather forecast. This is being done regularly. A change in observation will bring a change in forecast as well,” said the meteorologist. The National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre had reported the maximum average wind speeds of 17 to 27 knots around the centre, which is located at latitude 67.5E and longitude 11.7N.
Meanwhile, the centre has forecast clear skies over most of the Sultanate on Monday with chances of late night to early morning low-level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea. Clear skies have been predicted for Tuesday over most parts of the country with chances of advection of cloud bands associated with the tropical system combined with isolated rain and fresh winds. PACA said that the centre of the depression is currently 1,360 km away from the coast of Salalah.
Lakshmi Kothaneth
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