The National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre, Civil Aviation Authority, has said that it has detected tropical atmospheric activity in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.
In a statement the centre said: “A tropical condition may originate in the Bay of Bengal, cross the Indian peninsula and reach the Arabian Sea, with chances that it might dissipate there over the next few days.”
An official at the centre pointed out that the current period will see the second tropical season in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal trailing monsoon winds in the area, including the Sultanate.
The official added that this season will last for three months (September, October and November), when conditions are ripe for the occurrence of tropical conditions, often developing into low pressure systems or tropical storms or tropical cyclones.
When asked if there is any chance for the system to have an impact on the Sultanate, the weather forecaster said: “It is too early to predict whether it would reach here, but we are following it up very closely. For now, the cyclonic storm is over the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian meteorologists have mentioned on their website that it could move westwards.
“At this point, there is no effect of this weather situation over Oman’s coast or the Arabian Sea,” she said.
She added that there might be an effect at the end of this weekend, but it is too early to talk about it.
As of now, the Met Office is monitoring the tropical situation.
“Currently, it is only a cyclonic storm and not even a depression. Now it is in Bay of Bengal, but it can cross over to the Arabian Sea,” she pointed out.
The official called upon citizens and residents to follow up circulars and reports issued by the departments concerned.
Meanwhile, the Sultanate has been experiencing clear to partly cloudy skies along the coastal areas of Dhofar Governorate and adjoining mountains with chances of intermittent drizzle over the mountains.
“The aerial image shows local clouds over Al Hajar Mountains with chances of scattered rain and scattered clouds forming over parts of Dhofar Governorate,” the Met Office stated.
Mainly clear skies are predicted over rest of the Sultanate with chances of medium and high cloud advection. Chance of convective clouds formation and isolated rain occasionally thundershowers over Al Hajar Mountains and adjoining areas are expected towards afternoon and evening. Chance of dust rising winds have been highlighted over governorates of Al Buraimi, Al Wusta and Al Dahirah. Chance of late night to early morning low level clouds or fog patches along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea are also reported.
