The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has rebuffed rumours circulating on social media about the Sultanate of Oman and the other GCC countries experiencing a rare weather phenomenon bringing abnormal precipitation and historic rainfall on Thursday. The CAA described the news as unfounded, urging everyone not to publish misleading news and to obtain information from official sources.
The CAA clarified that the forecast for Thursday indicates relatively calm weather with a chance of thundershowers, particularly in the governorates of Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah and Al Batinah North.
The effects of 'Al Masarrat' low pressure continued on Wednesday in several wilayats and governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, with moderate to heavy rainfall, resulting in the flow of several wadis and streams.
The Essential Services Sector at the National Emergency Management Committee handled hundreds of reports related to disruptions or impacts on vital services. The sector enhanced its preparedness to ensure the continuity of essential services across the Sultanate of Oman. The sector plays a pivotal role in securing and maintaining road, electricity, telecommunications, water, and sanitation services, as well as fuel and cooking gas supplies, public hygiene, and waste management services, thus ensuring the stability of daily life and mitigating the impact of the weather conditions.
In the Governorate of Al Batinah South, the wilayats of Al Rustaq, Al Musannah, Barka, Nakhal, Al Awabi and Wadi Al Maawil witnessed heavy to moderate rainfall.
Similarly, a number of villages and towns in the Wilayat of Yanqul in the Governorate of Al Dhahirah experienced moderate to heavy rainfall, which caused the flow of several wadis.
In the Wilayat of Nizwa in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah, several villages received rainfall of varying intensity. This led to the flow of streams and wadis such as Wadi Al Hijri. The rain extended across all villages of the wilayat, resulting in the overflow of dams.
Meanwhile, villages in the Wilayat of Liwa in the Governorate of Al Batinah North experienced heavy rainfall accompanied by active winds. This caused wadis and streams to flow across various villages, leading to a complete halt in traffic on main and service roads in some areas.
The Royal Oman Police and the Civil Defence have mobilised efforts to manage traffic flow and advised motorists against crossing wadis. Warning signs have been placed in areas with standing water and low-lying zones to ensure the safety of road users.
Meanwhile, the formation of rainy thunderclouds is expected to continue and will extend to include the governorates of Muscat and Al Sharqiyah South.
Hilal bin Salim al Hajri, Head of the Forecasting and Early Warning System Department at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said that forecast for Thursday indicates relative calm. However, there are chances of thunderstorms, predominantly in the governorates of Al Buraimi, Al Dhahirah and Al Batinah North.
He pointed out that the authority's monitoring stations recorded varying amounts of rainfall on Wednesday. The highest amount of rainfall recorded includes 57 mm at the Khasab Port station in Musandam Governorate, and 44 mm at the Abu Al Tubool station in Al Wusta Governorate.
Al Hajri warned of rainfall of varying intensity, which may occasionally become extremely heavy and accompanied by hail. This will lead to the flowing of reefs and wadis, some of which could be sweeping. Additionally, these weather conditions will bring downdraft winds with speeds ranging between 20 to 50 knots and decreased horizontal visibility, which may sometimes drop to zero during heavy downpours.
He urged everyone to exercise the utmost caution during the thunderstorms. The public is strongly advised not to cross wadis, to avoid low-lying areas and to refrain from venturing into the sea during this period.
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