QuikSCAT observed a rare tropical cyclone in the northern part of the Arabian Sea, threatening the petroleum shipping lanes and the Gulf States that are unprepared for such an event. This is the strongest cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula since record keeping started in 1945, reaching super-cyclone strength. It weakened as it approached landfall
QuikSCAT observed a rare tropical cyclone in the northern part of the Arabian Sea, threatening the petroleum shipping lanes and the Gulf States that are unprepared for such an event. This is the strongest cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula since record keeping started in 1945, reaching super-cyclone strength. It weakened as it approached landfall, probably because of the intrusion of dry desert air into the storm.
In the image produced from QuikSCAT data, white arrows showing wind direction are superimposed on the color images of wind speed.
QuikScat, managed by JPL, measures ocean surface wind/stress by sending radar pulses to the surface and measuring the strength of the signals returned.Image credit: NASA/JPL/QuikSCAT Science Team