Only a few tropical cyclones spin into the northwestern reaches of the Arabian Sea each decade, and some bring damaging winds and rain into the Arabian Peninsula.
That was the case on September 24, 2019, when Tropical Cyclone Hikaa made landfall over Oman.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image at 10:45 a.m. Gulf Standard Time (06:45 Universal Time) as the storm’s outer bands moved over Oman.
And the desert is flooded… Again:
? مشاهد متداولة من البحيرات التي خلفها اعصار #هيكا #Hikaa في صحاري ولاية #الدقم في #سلطنة_عمان
— طقس (@tqqs) September 25, 2019
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. pic.twitter.com/p1Cfgig5KN
Later that day, the India Meteorological Department reported maximum winds between 120-130 kilometers (75-80 miles) per hour. That’s the equivalent of a category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale.
After encountering the coast of Oman and the dry air over the peninsula, the storm continued moving westward and weakened.
Duqum now experiencing the direct impacts of Cyclone Hikka #OmanObserver #Oman #ROP #Hikka
— Oman Observer (@OmanObserver) September 24, 2019
#هيكا #مصيره #الحالة_المدارية #الدقم pic.twitter.com/6C2tDD1p6g
Forecasters predicted heavy rainfall in some coastal areas, and officials advised people to stay away from low-lying areas. They also warned that rough seas could be dangerous for fishing boats.
مشاهد من #هيكا جزيرة #مصيرة
— الخيمة العُمانية?? (@WeatherOmanya) September 24, 2019
…#وادي_الصاور
تصوير : @s_h_alfarsi
.#الخيمة_العمانية pic.twitter.com/X8YLUgbFi1
Of all tropical cyclones that occur around the planet each year, only 7 percent are in the North Indian Ocean.
Quick Pic- NASA Terra Satellite saw Tropical Cyclone Hikaa inland over Oman today, Sept. 25 pic.twitter.com/CgDOB0nA91
— NASAHurricane (@NASAHurricane) September 25, 2019
They infrequently brush the Arabian Peninsula, and the region can go years without a storm.
#WeatherWatch: Cyclone #Hikaa in Wilayat Mahout in Al Wusta.#هيكا pic.twitter.com/HivqlJq6hb
— Times of Oman (@timesofoman) September 24, 2019
That said, 2018 brought more storms than usual, with three significant cyclones — Sagar, Mekunu, and Luban — bringing damaging wind and rain to Yemen and Oman.
Cyclones tend to occur here in spring and autumn, so the final count for 2019 remains to be seen. Source
