Yemen Faces Rare Second Tropical Cyclone Landfall After Megh Batters Socotra

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

November 8,2015; 10:38PM,EST

 

 

Two tropical cyclones making landfall in Yemen in one season is virtually unheard of, but it will happen this year with Megh closely following in the footsteps of Chapala.
Generally, Yemen only receives the remains of cyclones after they weaken.
AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Jim Andrews says that "Having two landfalling tropical cyclones in Yemen in a single season is likely to be unheard of in the modern era."
Much like Chapala, Megh will continue to track across the Gulf of Aden into midweek after pounding the island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea. Megh is taking a track slightly farther south than Chapala, but still threatens to impact many of the same communities that endured the recent powerful cyclone's wrath.

Megh did not strengthen into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane such as Chapala, but delivered a more devastating blow to Socotra.
Megh made landfall across the eastern portion of Socotra with maximum sustained winds of 203 km/h (127 mph), equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane just before noon local time on Sunday. Chapala passed to the north of Socotra.

"At peak intensity, Tropical Cyclone Chapala (04A) was the equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific Ocean on [Oct. 30], making it one of the strongest cyclones on record in the Arabian Sea," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister.
The weakening trend of Megh will now continue as it moves across the Gulf of Aden and encounters dry air from the Arabian Peninsula.
RELATED:
Several Years' Worth of Rain Falls in Yemen From Chapala
Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Center
Yemen Weather Center
Flooding rain and damaging winds will accompany Megh as it grazes the northeastern tip of Somalia on Monday. Megh will then curve into south-central mainland Yemen, slightly west of the site where Chapala plowed onshore.

NOAA Hurricane Hunters Fly Through Eye of Hurricane Patricia

"There will be an isolated flooding threat, especially considering the mountainous desert terrain of the region," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty.
Between Yemen and the northeastern tip of Somalia, the potential for downpours to trigger flooding will be greatest over the latter region. By the time Megh approaches Yemen, it will be rapidly weakening as dry air cuts off tropical moisture the cyclone needs to survive.
Content contributed by AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards and Brett Rathbun.