Muscat: The tropical system that has developed over the Arabian Sea has been keenly watched by meteorologists. The system has now been upgraded to a cyclonic storm.
So how does a storm attain the status of a cyclone?
Wind velocity at the centre (eye) determines whether or not a tropical system is a cyclone. “If the speed is more than 64 knots, we can call it a tropical Category 1 cyclone,” said Malik al Hussaini, a meteorologist from the National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre.
If the speed exceeds 34, then it is categorised as a tropical storm until 63 knots. If the speed is between 28 and 33 knots, it is described as a deep depression. A tropical depression has wind speeds in the range of 17 to 27 knots, while a trough has a wind speed of less than 17 knots at the centre.
Category 2 cyclone
In that case, it will have a wind speed of 83 to 95 knots, says Al Hussaini.
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