• Storm moving West-Southwestward, says Met Office.
• Cyclone Shakti is located 480km southwest of Karachi.
• Winds of 40-55 km/hr expected along Sindh’s coast.

KARACHI: The severe cyclonic storm Shakti, currently swirling over the northeast Arabian Sea, is not expected to make landfall along Sindh’s coast, The News reported on Sunday.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that the cyclone, however, will bring rough sea conditions, strong winds, and light rain to coastal districts over the weekend.

According to the Met Office’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Karachi, Shakti was located about 480 kilometres southwest of Karachi on Saturday evening.

The storm has been moving west-southwestward and is likely to track further into the northwest and adjoining central parts of the Arabian Sea before curving east-northeastward by late Sunday.

Meteorologists expect it to gradually weaken after recurving, reducing the threat of any direct landfall in Pakistan.

The PMD said that although the cyclone poses no immediate danger to Sindh’s coastline, its outer rain bands may cause isolated showers in Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, and Kech districts.

Karachi is expected to remain partly cloudy and humid, but moderate to heavy rainfall is unlikely unless the system shifts closer to the coast.

Sea conditions, however, are expected to remain dangerous for small boats and fishing vessels.

Squally winds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 55 kilometres per hour, are expected along the Sindh coast, while near the centre of the storm, gale-force winds could reach 120 kilometres per hour with gusts up to 135 kilometres per hour.

The PMD has strongly advised fishermen to avoid venturing into deep-sea waters until at least Sunday evening.

Explaining the cyclone’s dynamics, weather experts said Shakti formed due to intense convection over warm sea surface temperatures exceeding 31°C in the northeast Arabian Sea — a common condition for cyclogenesis in early October.

The system intensified rapidly into a “Severe Cyclonic Storm” as it drew energy from moisture-laden air and the warm upper ocean layer.

However, the presence of strong upper-level wind shear and drier air to its north is expected to weaken it gradually once it moves toward cooler waters.

“Cyclone Shakti is not on a track to strike Sindh directly, but it will create hazardous sea conditions and intermittent rain in some coastal areas,” said a senior PMD official. “We are continuously monitoring its trajectory and intensity, and further advisories will be issued as the system evolves.”

Satellite imagery on Saturday showed dense cloud clusters around the storm’s eye and spiral rain bands extending outward, indicating sustained strength at sea. By late Sunday, Shakti is expected to move east-northeastward and lose intensity, becoming a deep depression before dissipating over open waters.

Authorities, including the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Pakistan Navy, and coastal development agencies, have been alerted to remain vigilant and ensure preparedness in case of sudden changes in the storm’s path or intensity.

Meteorologists noted that the Arabian Sea has seen an increase in cyclonic activity in recent years, largely attributed to rising sea surface temperatures and changing climate patterns.

While most systems veer away from Pakistan’s coastline, the risk of high tides, storm surges, and coastal flooding remains significant for vulnerable fishing communities along Sindh and Balochistan.

Residents of coastal areas have been urged to stay informed through official PMD updates, avoid unnecessary movement near the shoreline, and ensure small boats are securely docked until weather conditions stabilise.