Bahrain face hottest August since 1902

Manama : The Meteorological Directorate reported in their monthly weather summary that August of this year goes on record as the second hottest August ever experienced in Bahrain since 1902.

The mean temperature of the month was 36.4 degrees Celsius. This is 2.4 degrees Celsius above the long-term normal. This goes on record as the second highest mean monthly temperature for August and only exceeded by August 1998 which was 36.5 degrees Celsius.

The mean maximum temperature of the month was 41.1 degrees Celsius. This goes on record as the second highest mean maximum temperatures for August since 1946 and only exceeded by August 2015 which was 41.2 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature recorded in the month was 45.6 degrees Celsius set on August 15 at Bahrain International Airport. This goes on record as the second highest temperature for August at Bahrain International Airport since 1946 and only exceeded by that of 9 August 1993 which was 45.7 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature recorded in Sitra Island was 48.9 degrees Celsius set on August 2 and 15 and in Durrat Al Bahrain was 46.9 degrees Celsius on August 3.

During the month Bahrain had 26 days with maximum temperature which reached 40 degrees Celsius or more.

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 33.0 degrees Celsius. This goes on record as the highest mean minimum temperature for August since 1946. The old record was 32.9 degrees Celsius in August 2015.

The lowest temperature recorded was 31.6 degrees Celsius set on August 27-28 at Bahrain International Airport. But recorded 28.5 degrees Celsius on August 28 at Durrat Al Bahrain.

The mean relative humidity for August was 56%. The mean maximum relative humidity for the month was 77%.

Mean minimum relative humidity for August was 30%. This goes on record as the second lowest mean monthly minimum relative humidity for August since 1955. This is same as August 2009 and only exceeded by August 2012 which was 27%.

August 2016 was the second sunniest month for all August’s since the sunshine records began in 1968. The total hour of sunshine for the month was 358.4 hours and only exceeded by August 2015 which was 359.9 hours.

The month was hot and humid. This was due to prevailing easterly winds which brought humid air to the kingdom from the Arabian Gulf.

The prevailing wind was 24% from east direction. Northwesterly winds accounted 16% of the observation with gusts reached 27 knots on August 17 at the Bahrain International Airport. But recorded 33 knots on the same day at Durrat Al Bahrain.

Thick dust haze reported on the August 5. Visibility dropped to 600 meters at Bahrain International Airport.