December 2021 ‘fifth warmest’ in Bahrain since 1902

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications’ Meteorological Directorate reported in their monthly weather summary that December 2021 goes on record as the fifth warmest December ever experienced in Bahrain since 1902.

The mean temperature of the month was 21.3°C which is 1.6°C above the long-term normal for December and this goes on record as the fifth-highest mean temperature for December since 1902. Note that the highest mean monthly temperature for December was 22.5°C recorded in 2001.

The mean maximum temperature of the month was 23.9°C which is 1.0°C above the long-term normal. Note that the highest mean monthly maximum temperature for December was 26.3°C recorded in 2001.

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 27.9°C which occurred on the 2nd December at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) but recorded 28.8°C on the 21st December at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 18.7°C which is 1.9°C above the long-term normal and this goes on record as the fourth-highest mean minimum temperature for December since 1946. Note that the highest mean monthly minimum temperature for December was 19.6°C recorded in 2001.

The lowest temperature recorded was 15.5°C on the 28th of December at BIA but recorded 13.1°C on the 5th of December at Durrat Al Bahrain.

The mean relative humidity for December was 66% whereas the mean maximum relative humidity was 80% and the mean minimum relative humidity was 51%. The maximum relative humidity was 93% recorded on December 1 and the minimum relative humidity was 27% recorded on December 20. 

A total of 10.9 mm of precipitation was reported in December 2021 at BIA. Note that the long-term mean total precipitation for December is 15.2 mm and the highest monthly rainfall recorded during December at BIA was 119.6 mm which occurred in 2006.

Thunderstorms occurred on 1 day. Thundery showers were reported at BIA on the 31st December accumulating total precipitation of 8.5 mm and visibility dropped to 3000 meters at BIA. This unsettled weather occurred due to a series of upper troughs passed towards the Arabian Peninsula.

The total monthly precipitation recorded for December 2021 at Durrat Al Bahrain was 15.2 mm whereas the total precipitation at King Fahad Causeway was 9.2 mm, at Bahrain International Circuit was 7.2 mm, at Sitra Island was 7.2 mm and at the University of Bahrain (UoB) was 6.2 mm.

The Mean wind speed for December was 9 knots. The prevailing wind was 40% from the Northwest direction. Gust winds reached 30 knots on the 22nd and 26th December at BIA and also 30 knots on the 26th December at King Fahad Causeway and on 31st December at Durrat Al Bahrain. The Easterly to Southeasterly winds accounted for 21% of the observation.