- Climate of Muscat
-
Coordinates: 24°00′N 57°00′E / 24°N 57°E
The climate of Muscat features a hot, arid climate with long and very hot summers and warm winters. Annual rainfall in Muscat is about 100 mm (4 in), falling mostly in March. In general precipitation is scarce in Muscat, with several months on average seeing only a trace of rainfall. The climate generally is very hot, with temperatures reaching as high as 49°C (129°F) in the summer. For Sight seeing in Muscat, the Best time to visit in Muscat is from December to March. The temperatures are moderate and pleasant, making it easy to move around. Unless the visitor is accustomed to Climate in Muscat, travel to Muscat during middle of March to October is not recommended. It is very exhausting during this time of the year with the average temperature between 31 0 C to 38 0 C. There are possibilities of sunburn and dehydration.[1]
Climate data for Muscat Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Average high °C (°F) 25
(77)26
(79)29
(84)34
(93)39
(102)40
(104)38
(100)36
(97)35
(95)34
(93)30
(86)27
(81)32.8
(91.0)Average low °C (°F) 17
(63)18
(64)20
(68)24
(75)29
(84)30
(86)30
(86)28
(82)27
(81)24
(75)21
(70)18
(64)23.8
(74.9)Precipitation mm (inches) 10.7
(0.421)11.7
(0.461)38.4
(1.512)14.6
(0.575)0.1
(0.004)0
(0)3.5
(0.138)1.8
(0.071)0
(0)0.4
(0.016)1.7
(0.067)11.4
(0.449)94.3
(3.713)Source: Foreca[2] Factors
Muscat being located in the Arabian peninsula features long and very hot summers similar to that of any Middle Eastern country. Rainfall in the city is very rare mostly falling during winter months.
- Shamal winds occur in Muscat during summer months, they are very dusty and remain at peak in the morning but decreases at night.[3]
- Westerly winds bring winter showers to many parts of Oman including Muscat coming from Mediterranean or North Africa.[6]
- Southwest Monsoon only affects the Dhofar region of Oman where light rainfall occurs but upper parts of Oman including Muscat remain dry during this period.
Extreme weather events
The most extreme weather events in Oman are tropical storms that form in Arabian sea. Following is the list of tropical storms that affected Oman including Muscat during the 21st century.
- In 2002, a cyclonic storm hit the Dhofar region of Oman.
- In 2007, a category 5 Cyclone Gonu caused squally winds and rains to the city of Muscat.[7]
- In 2010, a category 4 Cyclone Phet brought massive flooding to Muscat during early June.[8]
References
- ^ http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/oman/muscat-overview/climate-in-muscat.html
- ^ MSN Weather
- ^ http://books.google.ca/books?id=2cmmgwUJH98C&pg=PA31&vq=shamal&dq=The+Gulf+War+and+the+Environment&source=gbs_search_s&cad=0
- ^ http://www.travelpod.com/travel-photo/scoonpooh/6/1278345702/road-to-salalah-3-the-sandstorm.jpg/tpod.html
- ^ http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=69901&heading=Other%20Top%20Stories
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/country_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT002770
- ^ http://www.webcitation.org/5oztVusPO
- ^ http://articles.cnn.com/2010-06-04/world/oman.pakistan.cyclone_1_pakistan-navy-pakistani-chief-joint-typhoon-warning-center?_s=PM:WORLD
Categories:- Climate by city
- Muscat
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