Hurricane Central: Today's Outlook
Tropical Cyclone Gonu weakening
12:04 p.m. ET 6/5/07
B. Bernard, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Severe Weather Outlook
Tropical Cyclone Gonu is weakening as it churns toward the Gulf of Oman from the Arabian Sea. As of 8 a.m. EDT, Gonu's maximum sustained winds were down to 120 mph (from 160 mph yesterday).
Gonu is expected to continue weakening as it brushes by the northeast tip of Oman (Ra's al Hadd) over the next several hours. Weakening influences include slightly cooler ocean water, dry air from the Arabian Peninsula and Iran, interaction with land, and increasing vertical wind shear.
The cyclone is forecast to turn northward in the Gulf of Oman and strike the southern coast of Iran (Makran Coast) late tomorrow U. S. time. By the time it makes landfall, winds are expected to be down to 80 mph (a category one equivalent). Flash flooding will be a major threat.
Since 1945, there is no record of any type of tropical cyclone striking Iran.
Closer to home, there are no imminent tropical concerns in either the Atlantic or eastern Pacific Basins.
