Emirates Meteorology Portal

An active spill of the summer showers and thunderstorms over parts of Yemen and Saudi Arabia unleashed heavy downpours due to a surge of tropical moisture and weakening high pressure. The below image from NASA TRMM shows excessive rainfall of around 400mm over eastern Yemen. Moreover, heavy thunderstorms hit southern Saudi Arabia and resulted in flooded roads, trapping residents, with reports of missing bodies as well according to a local Saudi newspaper. It seems such an event is becoming annual as in summer 2010 a similar event occured.  

Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms inundated Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, with an incredible rainfall of 111mm. This compares nicely with an annual average of around 50mm. Tons of traffic problems with trapped cars and people. The city’s infrastructure and geography might be blamed, but 111mm of rain is quite high. 10 people have been confirmed dead. Click here for a video of the rain in Jeddah on Jan 26, 2011.

  A new round of rain showers and some thunderstorms has begun over parts of SW Asia. Countries affected include the Mediterranean countries, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and possibly Qatar. Once again, a moisture corridor from Africa and an area of upper air low pressure are enhacing rain clouds formation. January 24: A few thunderstorms in western Saudi Arabia, mainly Makkah, possibly Jeddah, and surrounding areas near central Red Sea. January 25 – 26: Heavy flooding rainfall with thunderstorm affected Jeddah (around 110 mm of rain) with thundershowers in Makkah, central Saudi Arabia, and Arabian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, parts of  [ Read More ]

The Middle East is probably the last region that comes into any person’s mind with regard to weather-related fatalities and disasters. Here are notable weather events in the Middle East in 2010, starting and ending with the typically very dry Egypt (!!) : At least 10 fatalities in Egypt due to heavy thunderstorms and flooding rain Jan 17th and 18th Strong thunderstorms resulting in 4 casualities in the UAE on Feb 28th Heavy thunderstorms in Saudi Arabia in April, May, and July which resulted in at least 7 fatalities The infamous cyclone Phet (see above image) killing at least 24 people in Oman  [ Read More ]