Dubai: Cyclone Kyarr is expected to be downgraded into a tropical storm over the next 48 hours, but flooding caused by water surges could still continue to affect the UAE’s east coast, according the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).
Located over the Arabian Sea at latitude 19.5 degrees north and longitude 63.4 degrees east at around midday on Wednesday, the category one cyclone - already downgraded from category three - is moving at 8-km/h with estimated wind speeds at its centre of 135-km/h to 145-km/h, accompanied by intense convective rain clouds.
As it moves southwestwards towards Yemen and Oman it will gradually weaken into tropical storm over the next 48 hours with an estimated wind speed of 110-km/h to 80-km/h.
The UAE is expected to escape the brunt of impact but rough seas and water surges along the east coast during high tide will continue until Thursday.
Twenty families from Kalba had already been moved to hotel apartments after their homes were flooded on Tuesday. Electricity has also been cut in affected areas, where flooding has also caused several road closures. Families are expected to be able to return to their properties on Friday when flooding recedes.
The Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort was also forced to close its beach, but is hoping to reopen it by Thursday or Friday.
Clouds will appear in the north accompanied by rainfall on Thursday night with wind speeds of 20-km/h to 30-km/h reaching highs of 40-km/h in the east, and rough conditions in the Oman Sea, according to the NCM five day forecast.
Convective clouds in the north and east will also threaten more rain during the day on Friday, but highest wind speeds will lessen to 38-km/h and Oman Sea conditions will drop from rough to moderate.
Saturday and Sunday will be partly cloudy with moderate northwesterly winds gusting from 20-km/h to 30-km/h and highs of 40-km/h on both days, but despite sea conditions remaining moderate to rough, there will be less chance of rain.
