The Arabian Peninsula is an area of diverse climatic conditions due to its location and geomorphological characteristics. It is affected by the Indian monsoon in the South and the Mediterranean synoptic scale systems in the North. It has mostly a desert-type climate with extreme heat during the daytime and very low annual rainfall. Extreme precipitation events related to convective activities are not that rare though. Such events often lead to flooding and may pose threat to human life and activities. At the same time, their local nature makes the recording and forecasting very difficult but essential. Towards a better understanding of the spatiotemporal features, the links and the feedback mechanisms associated with precipitation, a thirty year regional climatic analysis has been prepared with the aid of the state-of-the-art 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 make it suitable in an area where dust is a dominant factor. Special focus is given to densely populated regions and in several cities in order to cover the climatic features of the Peninsula to a satisfactory extent. An extended evaluation based on in-situ measurements and satellite records is performed. A monthly climatic analysis is performed alongside with a trend analysis to better assess the rainfall patterns throughout the thirty year period. The extremes are studied under the principles of the extreme value theory focusing not only on the duration but also on the intensity of the events. To enrich the analysis of the precipitation climate an examination of droughts is also performed. Apart from the strict scientific interest, the outcome has an added value in civil protection and several industries such as constructions and reinsurance.
How to cite: Patlakas, P., Stathopoulos, C., Bartsotas, N. S., Flocas, H., and Kallos, G.: A precipitation climatology for the Arabian Peninsula: from droughts to extremes, EMS Annual Meeting 2021, online, 6–10 Sep 2021, EMS2021-23, https://doi.org/10.5194/ems2021-23, 2021.