Manama, February 9 (BNA) The Directorate of Meteorology said in its monthly weather report that January 2022 was warmer than usual in temperatures and above average for precipitation.
January was a rainy month with six rainy days, and 58mm of precipitation accumulated at Bahrain International Airport, this records as the sixth highest monthly rainfall for January since 1902.
This was about three times more than the long-term normal for January, 18.1 mm.
The highest monthly rainfall, 135.9 mm, was recorded in January 1959.
Minor amounts of precipitation were also recorded on January 16 at Bahrain International Airport.
The highest day of precipitation was 36.2 mm on 1 January and this records as the fifth highest daily total rainfall since 1948 at Bahrain International Airport.
The highest daily average rainfall for the month of January was 49.1 mm on January 22, 1959.
The total monthly rainfall for the month of January at the University of Bahrain was 61.2 mm, while the total rainfall on Sitra Island was 53.4 mm, Durrat Al Bahrain 47 mm, King Fahd Causeway 44.8 mm, and Bahrain International Circuit 28.8 mm.
The monthly mean temperature was 17.8°C, which is 0.3°C higher than the long-term normal for January, which is 17.5°C.
The average maximum temperature for the month was 20.4°C, which is 0.3°C lower than the long-term normal. The highest temperature recorded during the month was 25.5 degrees Celsius on January 13 at Bahrain International Airport.
The mean minimum temperature for the month was 15.1 °C, which is 0.6 °C higher than the long-term normal.
Although temperatures were generally slightly higher than usual, Bahrain was affected on January 20-22 by a cold wave accompanied by a noticeable decrease in temperature with strong to strong northwesterly winds. This was due to the movement of a lower polar bottom followed by a cold air mass towards the Arabian Peninsula.
Northwest winds significantly affected the sense of cold weather, as the lowest temperature was recorded at 10.5 degrees Celsius at Bahrain International Airport, 9.7 degrees Celsius at Sitra Island and Bahrain International Circuit, 9.1 degrees Celsius at Durrat Al Bahrain and 9 degrees Celsius. At the King Fahd Causeway on January 22. However, the apparent temperature was less than 5 degrees Celsius in all stations due to the influence of cold air.
Climatic statistics for January from previous years indicate that Bahrain experienced similar cold waves as temperatures dropped to 10°C or less, for example in 2020, 2018, 2016, 2012, 2009 and 2008.
The lowest temperature recorded in Bahrain was on January 20, 1964, when it was 2.7 degrees Celsius at Bahrain International Airport.
The average relative humidity for January was 67% while the average maximum relative humidity was 80% and the average minimum relative humidity was 51%. The highest relative humidity of 94% was recorded on January 1 and 26, and the lowest relative humidity of 26% was recorded on January 11.
The average wind speed for January was 9 knots. The prevailing wind was 40% from the northwest. High winds reached 37 knots on January 21 at Bahrain International Airport and 41 knots on the same day at King Fahd Causeway.
East and southeast winds accounted for 20% of the observed percentage.