MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY –AUGUST 2020

The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications’ Meteorological Directorate reported in their monthly weather summary that the month of  August 2020 goes on record as the fourth hottest August ever experienced in Bahrain since 1902 and it is equaled to August 2015 in temperatures.

The mean temperature of the month was 36.1°C which is 2.1°C above the long-term normal for August and this goes on record as the fourth highest mean temperatures for August since 1902. This is the same as August 2015 and exceeded by August 2017 with a record of 36.6°C, August 1998 with a record of 36.5°C, August 2016 with a record of 36.4°C.

The mean maximum temperature of the month was 40.2°C which is 2.2°C above the long-term normal and this goes on record as the eighth highest mean temperatures for August since 1946. Note that the highest mean monthly maximum temperature for August was 41.4°C recorded in 2017.

During the month Bahrain had 12 days with maximum temperature which exceeded 40°C. The highest temperature recorded during the month was 43.8°C which occurred on the 8th August at Bahrain International Airport but recorded 48.1°C on the 2nd August at Bahrain International Circuit. 

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 33.0°C which is 2.5°C above the long-term normal and this goes on record as the second highest mean minimum temperatures for August since 1946. This is the same as August 2016 and only exceeded by August 2017 with a record of 33.2°C.

The lowest temperature recorded was 30.0°C set on the 27th August at Bahrain International Airport but recorded 27.4°C on the same night at Durrat Al Bahrain.

The mean relative humidity for August was 50% whereas the mean maximum relative humidity was 69% and the mean minimum relative humidity was 30%. The maximum relative humidity was 88% recorded on the 22nd and the minimum relative humidity was 12% recorded on the 8th and 30th.                 

August 2020 was the sunniest month for all August’s since the sunshine records began in 1968. The total hours of sunshine for the month was 362.4 hours. The old record was 359.9 hours which was recorded in August 2015.

A scattered Rain was reported at Hawar Island on the 30th August. Note that the only measured rainfall ever recorded during August was 1.0 mm recorded on 7th August 1998 at Bahrain International Airport.

Although the temperatures were above normal, the relative humidities were below normal except in some days due to the persisted of Northwesterly winds.

The Mean wind speed for August was 9 knots. The prevailing wind was 41% from the Northwest direction with gusts reached 27 knots on the 11th August at Bahrain International Airport but recorded 30 knots on the 6th and 10th August at Durrat Al Bahrain.

Haze reported on the 1s August. Visibility dropped to 2500 meters at Bahrain International Airport.