Tropical Cyclone Hikaa landfall: Barrelling 92mph storm to SMASH into Oman

Hikaa is currently expected to affect parts of Oman’s coastline by Tuesday afternoon. Rough seas near coastal areas, with waves as high as six metres, are also forecast for the region. Tropical Cyclone Hikaa currently has maximum sustained wind speeds of 92mph.

Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) released a warning on Tropical Cyclone Hikaa at 11am (LST).

As of 11am (LST) on September 24, PACA said: “Latest weather charts analysis at the National Multi Hazards Early Warning Center indicate that the tropical cyclone ‘Hikka’ is located over western Arabian Sea at longitude 59.5 degrees E and latitude 20.0 degrees N with estimated surface winds speed around the center ranges between 65 and 70 knots (120 to 130 km/hr).

“The cyclone is about 80km from Masirah Island and the closest convective clouds bands associated with the system is about 30km from it.

“The tropical cyclone continues to move westward towards the coasts of Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta Governorates and the landfall is expected to be between Masirah Island and Ras Al Madraka between 3pm and 7pm LST.

“The direct effects over Governorates of Southern Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta will be starting from today afternoon associated with heavy to very heavy rainfall, the amount ranges between (60 and 100mm) and gale winds ranges between 55 and 65 knots.”

PACA also warn of rough sea in coastal areas of South Al-Sharqiya and Al-Wusta, with maximum wave heights between four to six metres possible.

The public are advised to take proper precautions and stay away from low lying areas, and fishermen should avoid venturing out into the sea.

Warnings will be updated every six hours.

The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has said Hikaa will not directly affect the UAE but will result in “sea water surge over the Eastern coast with high tide period, especially on Wednesday morning.”

Away from the Arabian Sea, the Pacific currently one storm churning.

Tropical Storm Kiko has current maximum sustained wind speeds of 50mph.

Over the Atlantic Tropical Storm Lorenzo current has wind speeds of 65mph.

Lorenzo is forecast to become “a large and powerful hurricane”, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The latest advisory said Lorenzo was tracking about 310 miles southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.

Tropical Storm Jerry, which was once a hurricane, is also spinning over the Atlantic, along with Tropical Storm Karen.

Karen has become a Tropical Storm once again, and is expected to bring heavy rainfall, flash floods and mudslides to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today.

source: express.co.uk