Powerful cyclone bears down on Oman

Breitbart via Drudge Report ^ | June 5, 2007 | AFP

[RDTF]

A cyclone packing huge winds of up to 260 kilometres an hour advanced towards the Gulf state of Oman on Tuesday, posing a potential threat to the key route for oil exports from the energy-rich region. Oman has evacuated about 7,000 people from coastal areas in the sultanate, where the weather service said Cyclone Gonu was expected to make landfall by Wednesday afternoon.

The first signs of the cyclone, with winds of up to 260 kilometres (160 miles) an hour and waves up to 12 metres (40 feet), have already been felt along Oman's coastal regions with torrential rains and pounding winds.

Weather officials said Cyclone Gonu is expected to be the strongest to hit the Arabian Peninsula since 1977.

The army, police and civil defence have all been mobilised.

"The cyclone is advancing toward the Omani coast at a speed of 12 kilometres an hour, accompanied by torrential rains, storms and winds at the centre of the cyclone of 115 to 140 knots, or 212 to 260 kilometres an hour," the weather service said.

-snip-

Except for oil from OPEC powerhouse Saudi Arabia, all crude exports from the Arab states in the Gulf -- or about a quarter of world supplies -- go through the strait, making it the world's most important oil passage.

An official in the ministry of transportation, who requested not to be named, told AFP however that shipping was continuing through the strait.

-snip-

World oil prices had risen on Monday amid fears of potential damage to oil infrastructure. But prices slid on Tuesday as the concerns abated.

Dealers said the market was also keeping an eye out on the approaching Atlantic hurricane season after US weather experts and forecasters predicted an "active" season ahead.

[stayathomemom]

Since it seems Oman has basically a desert climate, it will be very interesting to see what happens to the land and latent seeds, if any, when this much water is added to the mix. I wonder if we will ever find out?

[slappyTmonkey]

I think it’s interesting that this is the 40 year anniversary of the six-day war, and these good folks are being blasted by a cyclone. Of course, there are 5 more days for the anniversary, and I understand it hits land on Thursday. Hmmm

[ops33]

I spent 9 months at an airbase in Oman during the first Gulf War. Very austure area even by Middle East standards, dry, barren, wind blown, etc. But on the base where water would leak out of taps, near the showers, etc., all kinds of different plants would bloom and have lovely flowers. They tended to be small and low to the ground, probably as protection from the wind, but they were very pretty. Didn’t last very long, tough.

Don’t miss the area,though.

[REDWOOD99]

The Perfect Rovian Storm!

[texas booster]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1845189/posts

Previous thread here, talking about the potential disruption of oil shipping.

Latest track takes it straight past Oman and into Iran.

[Strategerist]

I think it’s interesting that this is the 40 year anniversary of the six-day war, and these good folks are being blasted by a cyclone.

I think it's irrelevant, not interesting, and neither Oman or Iran participated in that war.

[texas booster]

Blogger from Mucat, capitol of Oman and a major hit by the hurricane.

Sleepless in Muscat (Oman)

Here is an overnight Gonu track map:

Looks like Bandar Abbas in Iran may take this one hard. The storm will be much weakened, but I'll bet that the terminals are not built to Gulf of Mexico standards.