Tropical Cyclone Shakhti intensified to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon over the Arabian Sea south of Pakistan on Saturday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Cyclone Shakhti was located at latitude 21.2°N and longitude 63.1°E which put the center about 330 miles (535 km) southwest of Karachi, Pakistan.  Shakhti was moving toward the west-southwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 982 mb.

Tropical Cyclone Shankhti intensified to the equivalent of a hurricane/typhoon over the Arabian Sea south of Pakistan on Saturday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Shakhti’s circulation.  A small eye was visible at the center of Tropical Cyclone Shakhti.  The eye was surrounded by a thin ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Shakhti’s circulation.  Storms near the center of Shakhti generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical cyclone.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.

The strongest winds were occurring in the southern part of Tropical Cyclone Shakhti.  Winds to hurricane/typhoon force extended out 30 miles (50 km) on the southern side of Shakhti’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Tropical Cyclone Shakhti.

Tropical Cyclone Shakhti will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Shakhti will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge that is over Pakistan and the northern Arabian Sea.  The upper level ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Shakhti’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  However, drier air over southern Asia could get pulled into the northern side of Tropical Cyclone Shakhti.  The drier air will also inhibit intensification.  Tropical Cyclone Shakhti could intensify during the next 24 hours if the drier air stays around the northern periphery of its circulation.

Tropical Cyclone Shakhti will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over Pakistan.  The high pressure system will steer Shakhti toward the west-southwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Cyclone Shakhti will stay south of Pakistan during the weekend.