 The cyclone near peak intensity prior to landfall on May 9 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 6, 2002 |
| Dissipated | May 10, 2002 |
| Cyclonic storm | |
| 3-minute sustained (IMD) | |
| Highest winds | 65 km/h (40 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 994 hPa (mbar); 29.35 inHg |
| Tropical storm | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC) | |
| Highest winds | 85 km/h (50 mph) |
| Lowest pressure | 991 hPa (mbar); 29.26 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 9 total |
| Damage | $25 million (2002 USD) |
| Areas affected | Oman, Yemen |
Part of the 2002 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | |
The 2002 Oman cyclone (JTWC designation: 01A, officially known as Cyclonic Storm ARB 01[1]) was a tropical cyclone that struck the Dhofar region of Oman in May 2002. The first storm of the 2002 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, it developed on May 6 in the Arabian Sea, and it maintained a general west-northwest track for much of its duration. The system reached cyclonic storm status on May 9, meaning it attained winds of greater than 65 km/h (40 mph), and on May 10 it made landfall near Salalah; shortly thereafter it dissipated. The storm was rare, in the sense that it was one of only twelve tropical cyclones on record to approach the Arabian Peninsula in the month of May.[1]
The storm brought the heaviest number of people to Dhofar in 30 years, causing flooding and creating rivers in wadis, or typically dry riverbeds. Several people drowned after their vehicles were swept away by the flooding. The storm caused locally heavy damage, totaling $25 million (2002 USD).