This storm is truly unprecedented. It's the first Category 5 storm in recorded history over the Arabian Sea, and is tied for the strongest storm ever in the entire Indian Ocean. The Arabian Sea rarely sees tropical cyclones, and when they do occur, they typically remain weak and move away from the Arabian Peninsula. Not so with Gonu. As it lumbers to the northwest, Gonu IS expected to weaken as it interacts with dry air and the highlands of northeastern Oman. Nevertheless, it will still be a powerful cyclone upon landfall, most likely a Category 2 or 3 storm, with a possible storm surge of up to 33 feet! And that's not the worst. Gonu will likely bring more rainfall to Oman then that country usually sees in an entire year, meaning that flash flooding is a near certainty. In anticipation, Oman has issued a state of emergency for the entire nation, and the government has recommended that residents in the path of the storm evacuate. It's not going to be a pretty picture.

Not only will Gonu devastate Oman, but is already having drastic effects on the weather in India by delaying the onset of the famous monsoon rains. In addition, Gonu will carry bucketloads of moisture into Arabia, something which that desert region is not accustomed to. Even if areas of eastern Arabia fail to see any direct rains from Gonu, heavy thunderstorms will likely pop up from the strong daytime heating that is common this time of year interacting with the moisture that Gonu is bringing, which is anything but common. This will lead to numerous incidents of flash flooding all over the eastern Arabian Peninsula.

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