Dubai: The National Centre of Meteorology said today that the tropical cyclone Mekunu centre is located approximately 475km from Salalah, Oman, and 190km from Socotra Island, currently moving with a speed of 10km/h towards the north.
“The estimated wind speed around the centre of the cyclone is between 130km/h to 140km/h,” NCM said in a statement, urging the public to keep following updates, reports, forecasts it is issuing to stay away from rumours circulated by non-professional entities.
Mekunu is expected to intensify into CAT 2 during the upcoming 12 hours, according to NCM’s forecast. “The expected wind speed is between 155km/h to 165km/h. The tropical cyclone is expected to continue moving toward the north and to make a landfall over the southern coastal areas of Oman by Saturday morning, 26 May 2018.”
According to the Medium Ranged Forecast from Numerical Weather Predictions, the tropical cyclone will not reach the UAE territories, said NCM. “However, moist air mass is expected to effect the eastern and the southern parts of the country leading to thunder showers activities and fresh winds causing blowing sand/dust especially over the southern parts of the country.”
Earlier in the day Dubai Municipality’s Geodetic and Marine Survey Section had said that the impact of tropical cyclone Mekunu on the UAE and the emirate of Dubai will be minimal.
The tropical cyclone over the Arabian Sea that is bound to hit the Oman’s coastline on Thursday is expected to affect the weather in the UAE with rainy and thundery conditions.
“The weather change in the UAE is expected to start on Friday with the activity of the southeastern wet wind which may lead to rainy clouds and mild to moderate rainfall in different areas of Dubai,” said Eman Al Falasi, head of the Geodetic and Marine Survey Section.
A satellite image of cyclone Mekunu released by Dubai Municipality’s Geodetic and Marine Survey section. Courtesy: Dubai Municipality
By Staff WAM gulfnews.com
