Posing Unprecedented Threats, Cyclone Aims for War-Ravaged Yemen

This post may be updated.

Meteorologists are warning Friday that a potentially record strong cyclone in the Arabian Sea heading towards Oman and Yemen threatens the area with severe winds and years’ worth of rain in a matter of days.

Cyclone Chapala, whose rapid intensification was helped by warmer-than-average water, is now the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, packing winds of 155 mph. It could intensify further to the equivalent of a Category 5.

“Chapala is also on pace to become the strongest cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea,” said Accuweather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls.

Though it’s expected to weaken to a Category 1 when it makes landfall late Monday, Chapala could still bring devastation.

Striking land at that strength, writes meteorologist Jon Erdman, is “a very unusual, if not unprecedented occurrence for Yemen or southwest Oman.”