Fifth hottest March in 2016 since 1902

Manama : The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications’ Meteorological Directorate reported in its monthly weather summary that March 2016 goes on record as the fifth hottest March ever experienced in Bahrain since 1902.

The mean temperature of the month was 22.7 C, which is 1.7 C above the long-term normal and is the same as the months of March in 1958, 1980 and 2014 and only exceeded by March 1969 which was 24.7 C, March 2010 which was 23.7 C, March 1977 and 2008 which was 22.9 C and March 2013 which was 22.8 C.

The mean maximum temperature of the month was 26.2 C with the highest temperature recorded in the month being 31.3 C which was on March 12 and 28 due to warm southeasterly to southerly winds.

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 20.0 C and goes on record as the third highest mean minimum temperature for March since 1946 and exceeded by March 1969 which was 20.7 C and March 2010 which was 20.3 C. The lowest temperature recorded was 17.1 C, which was on the 31st of March at Bahrain International Airport, and 15.5 C on March 24 at Durrat Al Bahrain.

The mean relative humidity for March was 60 per cent and the mean maximum relative humidity was 77pc while the mean minimum relative humidity was 40pc. 

On March 9, a sharp upper trough extended over the central parts of Saudi Arabia that resulted in unsettled weather conditions associated with thundery showers over the Kingdom with 2.8 mm recorded in Bahrain International Airport and 12.6 mm of rain in Durrat Al Bahrain.

The month had 10 rainy days accumulating 8.6 mm in Bahrain International Airport. Trace amount were recorded on March 5, 6, 14 and 22. It is worth noting that the long-term mean total precipitation for March is 14.0 mm. The highest monthly rainfall ever recorded for March was 139.2 mm, which occurred on March 1995. 

The total precipitation for March in Durrat Al Bahrain was 18.2 mm, in King Fahd Causeway was 9.2 mm and in Sitra Island was 8.4 mm.

Shamal winds accounted for 54pc of the observation and 27pc of the wind observed was prevailing from east to southeast direction with gusts reaching 37 knots on March 21 at Bahrain International Airport, but recorded 38 knots at Durrat Al Bahrain. Dust haze was reported on March 22 where visibility dropped to 1,500 metre at Bahrain International Airport.