Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa turned toward the west on Tuesday and it now appears on track to make a landfall in Oman.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa was located at latitude 21.2°N and longitude 61.6°E which put it about 200 miles (325 km) east-northeast of Masirah Island, Oman.  Ashobaa was moving toward the west-northwest at 11 m.p.h. (18 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 985 mb.

The circulation around Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa is showing signs of greater organization.  A band of thunderstorms has wrapped around the southern portion of the center of circulation and it could represent the formation of a partial eyewall.  Ashobaa is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is warm, but an upper level ridge north of the tropical cyclone is generating easterly winds.  Those winds are producing some vertical wind shear which is inhibiting intensification.  The shear decreased somewhat on Tuesday and there was a modest increase in the wind speed.  The strong thunderstorms near the center of Ashobaa are generating some upper level divergence, mainly on the western side of the circulation and the tropical cyclone could intensify further during the next 24 hours.  As the circulation nears the coast of Oman, the circulation will start to pull in drier air from land and Ashobaa will start to weaken.

An upper level ridge north Ashobaa has strengthened and it appears the ridge will steer the tropical cyclone westward to the coast of Oman.  On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa will approach the coast of Oman near As Suwayh in about 24 hours.