Fourth-hottest August in Bahrain in 118 years

TDT | Manama

Last month was the fourth-hottest August in Bahrain since 1902, it was reported yesterday. Only August 2015 equaled it in temperatures, the Meteorological Directorate said. The mean temperature of August was 36.1 degrees Celsius—2.1 degrees C above the long-term normal for the month.

August 2017 experienced a record of 36.6 degrees C, while August 1998 was at 36.5 degrees C and August 2016 was at 36.4 degrees C—the only other higher mean temperatures in 118 years. The mean maximum temperature of the month was 40.2 degrees C, which is 2.2 degrees C above the long-term normal and the eighth-highest mean temperatures for August since 1946.

The highest mean monthly maximum temperature for August was 41.4 degrees C recorded in 2017. During the month, Bahrain had 12 days with temperatures that exceeded 40 degrees C. The highest temperature recorded during the month was 43.8 degrees C on August 8 at Bahrain International Airport (BIA).

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 33 degrees C, which is 2.5 degrees C above the long-term normal and the second-highest mean minimum temperature for August since 1946. This is the same as August 2016 and is exceeded only by August 2017 with a record of 33.2 degrees C. The lowest temperature recorded was 30.0 degrees C set on August 27 at BIA.

Durrat Al Bahrain recorded 27.4 degrees C on the same night. The mean relative humidity for August was 50 per cent, whereas the mean maximum relative humidity was 69 per cent and the mean minimum relative humidity was 30 per cent. The maximum relative humidity was 88 per cent, recorded on August 22, and the minimum relative humidity was 12 per cent, recorded on August 8 and 30.

August 2020 was the sunniest month for all Augusts since sunshine records began in 1968. The total hours of sunshine for the month was 362.4 hours, surpassing the old record of 359.9 hours in August 2015. Scattered rain was reported at Hawar Island on August 30. The only measured rainfall ever recorded during August was 1.0 mm on August 7, 1998, at BIA.

Although the temperatures were above normal, the relative humidities were below normal, except in some days due to the persistence of Northwesterly winds. The mean wind speed for August was nine knots. The prevailing wind was 41 per cent from the Northwest direction, with gusts reaching 27 knots on August 11 at BIA but recorded 30 knots on August 6 and 10 at Durrat Al Bahrain. Haze was reported on August 1 and visibility dropped to 2,500 meters at BIA.