Tuesday rain could reach flash-flood level from Marsa Alam to Halayeb

Rain that may turn thundery, and in places heavy enough to form flash floods, is possible on Tuesday 27 October over parts of the Red Sea Governorate, with Halayeb, Shalatin and Marsa Alam among the areas named.

Eman Shaker, who directs the remote-sensing centre at the Egyptian Meteorological Authority, said rain over Sinai, the Red Sea Governorate and the Gulf of Aqaba would be light to moderate and sometimes thundery, and could grow heavier at intervals. She said the chance of flash floods forming continues over parts of the governorate and South Sinai.

She warned that thunderclouds can be accompanied by lightning strikes and strong winds from the air sinking beneath them, with speeds sometimes between 30 and 40 kilometres an hour.

What the forecaster advises

• Stay away from flash-flood channels and low-lying ground while heavy rain is falling.
• Keep to posted speeds and leave safe distances between vehicles.
• Follow the daily bulletins and warnings issued by the meteorological authority and other responsible bodies.

For the period from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November, Shaker expects autumn conditions to hold, with light to moderate rain at intervals on Wednesday and Thursday over scattered areas that include the south of the Red Sea Governorate. Winds are expected to pick up at times across most of the country from Wednesday until Friday 30 October.

On Monday evening the governorate's operations room recorded moderate rain at the village of Ras Hadarba in the far south, with lightning and thunder over parts of the Red Sea mountain ranges and thunderclouds building near Abu Ramad. Operations director Mohamed Riad said the power supply to that area was cut as a precaution while staff watched the weather.