The climatology of shamals in the Arabian Sea—Part 1: Surface winds

Abstract

This study describes the climatology of shamal winds in the Arabian Sea using recent 30 years (1987–2016) of ERA‐Interim winds. The shamal events were distinguished based on the typical directions, duration and intensity of the winds. Three potential zones of shamal winds were identified in the northwestern Arabian Sea, which are the areas where the predominant shamal swells have been generated. The number of events, duration and intensity of shamal winds were estimated for various months and years. The climatology and trends of shamal winds were derived and the spatial extent of the winds was assessed. The results show that the number of events and the duration of shamals decrease in the northwestern Arabian Sea. Contrasting trends have been observed in the shamal intensities—significant positive trends in the Gulf of Oman and significant negative trends along the east coast of Oman. The trends of the total winds are in contrast with those of the shamals winds.