The Ministry of Interior, through its Supreme Committee for Internal Security, under the leadership of the Ministry's Undersecretary, and in collaboration with police commanders, the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management Authority, and other key partners, has affirmed its readiness to address an anticipated atmospheric depression and its associated weather fluctuations from April 15th to 17th.
Preemptive measures have been implemented to bolster response efforts and allocate the necessary resources to affected areas. Forecasts suggest a moderate to high impact on various regions, prompting the establishment of contingency plans and business continuity strategies for critical entities. Emphasizing societal safety and asset protection, the Ministry urges the public to adhere to precautionary measures, safety protocols, and official directives, discouraging the spread of rumors and advocating for reliance on credible information sources.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Emirates Astronomy Society's Chairman and Arab Union for Space and Astronomy member, anticipates unprecedented atmospheric instability attributed to the approaching depression, a phenomenon not witnessed in over five decades. This atmospheric disturbance comprises a deep air depression from the southwest, coupled with moist air from the southeast and cold upper air currents from the northwest, resulting in air instability and the formation of cumulus clouds, yielding heavy thunderstorms and widespread rainfall across Oman and the Emirates.
The impact commenced on Monday evening and is anticipated to escalate, affecting southern and western regions before extending across most areas by midnight, accompanied by heavy to severe rainfall, thunderstorms, hail, and gusty winds. Rainfall may exceed 100 mm in certain regions, surpassing historical records spanning over five decades. Al-Jarwan projects a gradual weakening and dispersion of the weather system by Thursday evening, albeit with residual cloud cover and intermittent rainfall in select areas.
Such weather phenomena, prevalent during late April, were historically recognized as "the rain clouds of the Pleiades." Al-Jarwan delineates the protocol for monitoring severe weather conditions, involving advance notification 72 hours prior to forecasted events, followed by detailed warnings 48 hours in advance to facilitate public preparedness and governmental readiness, with subsequent updates every 12 hours to monitor evolving weather patterns.
