As if we didn&rsquo;t need any more post-apocalyptic imagery with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the weather has set the mood right with a rare cyclone-like storm that will put Egypt at severe risk for lightning, flooding, and sandstorms as the storm travels across Sinai to Israel and the rest of the region.
European meteorological tracking agency MetDesk explains that this isn&rsquo;t your typical rainstorm, it&rsquo;s actually a very rare severe weather system. The weather pattern is similar to that of a cyclone, where a low pressure system pushes wind levels to 30 km per hour and results in heavy rainfall.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SevereWeather?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SevereWeather</a> Sandstorm in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cairo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cairo</a>. These spectacular images were taken yesterday in the capital of Egypt <a href="https://t.co/JVW7d5Aooo">pic.twitter.com/JVW7d5Aooo</a>
&mdash; YourWeather (@yourweathercouk) <a href="https://twitter.com/yourweathercouk/status/1237806481644367872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
MetDesk explains that the storm will intensify and develop by Friday as it approaches the Sinai Peninsula, however central Egypt will be the epicenter of the weather anomaly, where winds will be at their strongest.
<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.fastersmart.online/uploads/embeds/1583998611-max_gustskph_20200311_18_054.jpg-nggid0516248-ngg0dyn-900x600x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="476" />
<figcaption>This chart shows the expected wind intensity.</figcaption>
</figure>
The aptly named Severe Weather Europe shows a tracking chart for the storm in the next 36 hours as it moves towards Egypt&rsquo;s Nile Delta. Cairo will still be experiencing high winds by then, but Northern Egypt will get the most intense part of the storm by 12 AM on Saturday.
<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.fastersmart.online/uploads/embeds/1583998699-accprecip_20200311_12_060.jpg-nggid0516247-ngg0dyn-900x600x100-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="476" />
<figcaption>This chart shows the amount of expected rainfall.</figcaption>
</figure>
Severe Weather explains that it&rsquo;s not just the wind that will be a problem but the high levels of rainfall as &ldquo;huge amounts of rainfall are expected with this relatively slow-moving frontal system, resulting in more than 100 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hours in some areas across northern Egypt. This is quite a rare occurrence over this region, so it could potentially develop dangerous flooding.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
عاجل | رييس الوزراء يقرر تعطيل الدراسة على مستوى الجمهورية الخميس المقبل لسوء الاحوال الجوية <a href="https://t.co/iNJuiuFB5y">pic.twitter.com/iNJuiuFB5y</a>
&mdash; الجزيرة مصر (@AJA_Egypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/AJA_Egypt/status/1237376944582385670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
The government has already cancelled school and university activities today, as well as declaring a day-off from work for both public and private sector workplaces to make the streets less crowded. They have prepared hospitals to take in a larger number of injuries due to the severe weather conditions as well.
<img src="https://api.fastersmart.online/uploads/embeds/1583998066-MidEast.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="348" />The storm will kick up a huge amount of dust and sand from the Sahara and then rain it down as it travels to northern Saudi Arabia and up into Israel. MetDesk expects that not only Egypt but also Israel, Jordan, and Syria will deal with sandstorms from the Saharan sand that the storm kicks up. The storm will continue north into Turkey and Iran, resulting in abnormal weather conditions such as snowfall in those regions.
So, be sure you take in anything outside on your balconies that might become debris or fly away as the weather will continue like this for some time. If you didn&rsquo;t need any more reason to stay inside, the storm has given us the perfect chance to self-quarantine over the weekend.

Severe weather to include flooding, sandstorms and high winds this weekend.

On Air Now

Non-Stop Music

You May like

Schedule

Non-Stop Music