Muscat – Tropical storm Tej, located southwest of Arabian Sea, intensified into a Category 1 tropical cyclone on Saturday evening, likely resulting in heavy downpour in the range of 50mm-200mm in Dhofar and Yemen on Sunday.

Precipitation is likely to increase to 200mm-600mm on Monday and 200mm-800mm on Tuesday, when it is expected to make landfall between Dhofar and Al Mahra in Yemen.

Tej lay centred southwest of the Arabian Sea at latitude 10.48 north and longitude 57.31 east on Saturday evening. The eye of the storm was about 714km away from Oman’s coast and wind speed around the centre was estimated at 62 to 82 knots.

The closest rain clouds were 400km away from the wilayat of Sadah in Dhofar.

Hamoud bin Saeed al Naabi, Meteorologist at Directorate General of Meteorology, informed that Dhofar and Al Wusta governorates began to feel the direct impact of the storm starting Saturday evening. “The eye of the storm may cross on Tuesday morning between Dhofar governorate and Yemen.”

In its forecast for Monday, the Met office said heavy rains ranging between 200 and 600mm may accompany strong winds of 55 to 111kmph and cause flash floods.

The sea, along the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea, is expected to be very rough, rising to 4m-7m with chances of storm surge and sea water inundation in low-lying coastal areas.

On Tuesday, rainfall is expected in the range of 200mm-800mm with strong winds of 92kmph-139kmph.

The Relief and Shelter Sector of National Centre for Emergency Management announced that it has prepared 30 shelters distributed across various wilayats of Dhofar, supplying these with necessary food items to sustain the situation during the adverse weather. Three shelters have been activated in the wilayat of Al Jazir in Al Wusta.

Meanwhile, Port of Salalah has decided to temporarily close the facility on Sunday from 5pm until further notice.