Weather forecasters are monitoring the development of a tropical storm over the Arabian Sea. Known as Ashobaa, it is predicted that UAE will avoid the worst of its high winds when it makes landfall later this week. Formed on Sunday over Arabian Sea, Ashobaa moved in a north-northwestward direction until Monday. Changed its course and headed west-northwestward towards the Arabian peninsula on Tuesday, the tropical cyclone Ashobaa is expected to reach westward over the next several days with a potential landfall in Oman.

A National Centre of Meteorology and Siesmology (NCMS) spokesman said: “The latest satellite imagery and observations, in addition to the weather reports from the main regional centres, indicate that the tropical depression has been deepening into a tropical storm with surface wind speeds between 60 and 80 kph. It will continue to move north-north-westward and intensify during the next 36 hours to a strong tropical storm. NCMS will keep watching this weather. It is well known that such weather is quickly changeable.”

The NCMS said Ashobaa may not affect the country directly on Wednesday but an increase in the amount of clouds to the east is expected, especially on the eastern mountains.