Middle East mayhem: After rare tropical cyclone Sagar devastates Somalia, a second aims for Oman

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Middle East mayhem: After rare tropical cyclone Sagar devastates Somalia, a second aims for Oman

By Jason Samenow
May 23 at 9:45 AM

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In less than a week’s time, two tropical cyclones will have battered the Middle East in highly unusual locations.

Tropical cyclone Sagar slammed into northwestern Somalia over the weekend, after forming in the Gulf of Aden, killing at least 31 people in the region. The storm made landfall farther west in the North Indian Ocean basin than any previous storm on record.

Now, a second cyclone named Mekunu has spun up just to the east, due south of the Arabian Peninsula. Packing peak winds of nearly 70 mph, it is eyeing Oman’s southern coast, where it may make landfall at hurricane-strength late this week. It is now classified as a severe cyclonic storm.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center says the cyclone is over very warm waters, between about 87 and 90 degrees. “Favorable environmental conditions will allow for the tropical cyclone to intensify,” the center wrote in its latest update.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/05/22/middle-east-mayhem-after-rare-tropical-cyclone-sagar-devastates-somalia-a-second-aims-for-oman/

[NutmegYankee]

1. That's a lot of rain for a very dry place...

I definitely wouldn't want to be near a wadi for that event.