HEAVY rainfalls on New Year’s Day were one for the books as January 1 became the fifth-wettest day recorded at the Bahrain International Airport since 1948.
This was revealed by the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry’s Meteorological Directorate in its monthly weather report for January, which noted that 36.2mm of rain fell on January 1, while the record for the highest daily total of 49.1mm continues to be held by January 22, 1959.
In a month with six rainy days, a total of 58mm of precipitation was recorded at the airport – the sixth highest total rainfall in the month of January, since 1902.
This year’s January rainfalls were approximately three times more than the long-term average for the month, which is 18.1mm. The highest-ever monthly total rainfall was in January 1959 at 135.9mm.
Meanwhile, the total monthly precipitation recorded at Bahrain University was 61.2mm while Sitra Island recorded 53.4mm, Durrat Al Bahrain saw 47mm, King Fahad Causeway got 44.8mm and Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) had 28.8 mm of rainfall.
January 2022 was warmer than normal, with an average temperature of 17.8 degrees Celsius – 0.3C above the long-term average of 17.5C.
The mean highest temperature recorded last month was 26.6C at the BIC on January 27.
The average lowest temperature was 15.1C, which is 0.6C above normal, indicating a warmer January than normal, on average.
“Although temperatures were slightly above normal, Bahrain experienced a cold wave between January 20 and 22, due to a movement of a low polar trough followed by a cold air mass towards the Arabian Peninsula,” the directorate noted in its report.
On January 22, the lowest ambient temperature recorded was 10.5C at the airport, 9.7C at Sitra Island and Bahrain International Circuit, 9.1C at Durrat Al Bahrain and 9C at King Fahad Causeway. However, as a result of the cold winds, the apparent temperatures were recorded as less than 5C in all stations.
Climate statistics for previous Januaries indicate that Bahrain experienced similar cold waves in which temperatures decreased to 10C or less in 2020, 2018, 2016, 2012, 2009, and 2008.
The mean relative humidity for January was 67 per cent while the mean maximum relative humidity was 80pc and the mean minimum relative humidity 51pc.
The maximum relative humidity was 94pc recorded on January 1 and 26, while the minimum relative humidity was 26pc recorded on the January 11.
The average wind speed for January was nine knots, while January 21 proved to be the windiest day with winds reaching 37 knots at the airport and 41 knots at King Fahad Causeway.
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