Abstract
The Arabian Peninsula is a region characterized by diverse climatic conditions due to its location and geomorphological characteristics. Its precipitation patterns are characterized by very low annual amounts with great seasonal and spatial variability. Moreover, extreme events often lead to flooding and pose threat to human life and activities. Towards a better understanding of the spatiotemporal features of precipitation in the region, a thirty-year (1986-2015) climatic analysis has been prepared with the aid of the state-of-the-art numerical modeling system RAMS/ICLAMS. Its two-way interactive nesting capabilities, explicit cloud microphysical schemes with seven categories of hydrometeors and the ability to handle dust aerosols as predictive quantities are significant advantages over an area where dust is a dominant factor. An extended evaluation based on in situ measurements and satellite records revealed a good model behavior. The analysis was performed in three main components; the mean climatic characteristics, the rainfall trends and the extreme cases. The extremes are analyzed under the principles of the extreme value theory, focusing not only on the duration but also on the intensity of the events. The annual and monthly rainfall patterns are investigated and discussed. The spatial distribution of the precipitation trends revealed insignificant percentage differences in the examined period. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the eastern part and the top half of the western Arabian Peninsula presented the lowest risk associated with extreme events. Apart from the pure scientific interest, the present study provides useful information for different sectors of society and economy, such as civil protection, constructions and reinsurance.
Highlights
The climate of the Arabian Peninsula (AP) is affected by the Indian monsoon in the south and the Mediterranean synoptic scale systems in the north
As a further attempt to extend the study of Patlakas et al [10], this work aims to present a regional precipitation climatology for the AP, employing the regional atmospheric model RAMS/Integrated Community Limited Area Modeling System (ICLAMS)
Its prevailing climatic characteristics belong to the desert climate in the Köppen classification, with high temperatures, low rainfall and strong dust presence
Summary
The climate of the Arabian Peninsula (AP) is affected by the Indian monsoon in the south and the Mediterranean synoptic scale systems in the north. The complex landscape—consisting of highlands in the western and southwestern regions, vast arid and extra arid lands in the mainland, the Red Sea in the west and the sand desert in the southeast—plays an important role in the formation of the regional climatic features. The topography in Saudi Arabia varies from low altitudes in the coastal areas (0 up to 100 m) to high altitudes in the mountainous areas (more than 2000 m). Limited and infrequent rainfall events occur mainly from October through April [1], except for the southwestern region, where high precipitation amounts are reported [2]. Precipitation is not extensively analyzed due to its irregularity in space and time and the sparseness and/or unavailability of long records of observational datasets
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