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Publication Date October 31, 2015 | Weather Underground

Category 4 Chapala On Its Way to Yemen

Yemen
Tropical Cyclone Chapala as seen from the International Space Station at sunset on Halloween evening, October 31, 2015. At the time, Chapala was a Category 4 storm with 135 mph winds. The coast of Oman/Yemen is visible at the bottom of the image. Image: Commander Scott Kelly
Tropical Cyclone Chapala as seen from the International Space Station at sunset on Halloween evening, October 31, 2015. At the time, Chapala was a Category 4 storm with 135 mph winds. The coast of Oman/Yemen is visible at the bottom of the image. Image: Commander Scott Kelly

According to NOAA's Historical Hurricanes tool, there have only been six major Category 3 or stronger tropical cyclones recorded in the Arabian Sea (though accurate satellite records go back to just 1990)...Strong Arabian Sea storms are rare due to high wind shear and copious dry air from the deserts of the Middle East, with just two Category 4 or 5 storms ever recorded--Gonu in 2007 and Phet in 2010. Both cyclones hit Oman after weakening below Category 4 strength... The only [landfalling cyclone in Yemen] in the post-1990 satellite database is Tropical Depression Three of 2008.

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