RAINS LIKELY DUE TO LOW PRESSURE

MUSCAT: Muscat could be the first governorate to receive rains as a result of the tropical low pressure being formed currently over the north eastern segment of the Arabian Sea developing cloud advection by Friday evening or night.

The rains are expected to begin by Friday evening or Saturday early morning with peak forecast to be on Saturday.

“The impact of the low pressure is expected to be experienced throughout the governorates of the Sultanate. The rainfall could reach up to 100 mm in 24 hours during the peak. The coastal areas of Oman are expected to be rough,” explained Nasser al Ismaily, Weather Forecaster, Oman Met Office, Public Authority for Civil Aviation.

Some of the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea are already experiencing five meters high waves.

“Caution needs to be practiced as there are good chances for flash floods during this period so one should not approach wadis or try to cross them. One has to avoid venturing out to sea as all over the coastal areas the wave height will be ranging from three to five meters,” warned Al Ismaily.

The low pressure could bring in flash floods, downdraft winds with a possibility of hail storms. The local cloud development could also enhance the rains as there would be two mechanisms working at the same time, pointed out the weather forecaster.

There could also be seawater inundation in low lying coastal areas in connection with high tide timings mainly in Muscat, South and North AL Batinah and maybe Eastern Coast of Musandam as well.

Otherwise the weather has been cloudy to partly cloudy skies over the coastal areas of Dhofar governorate and adjoining mountains with drizzle.