Effects of the Sea Breeze Circulation on Soil Temperature Over Kuwait Using in Situ Observations and the ECMWF Model

Abstract

The mesoscale circulation over Kuwait is an important influence on changes in surface temperatures and soil temperatures.This paper presents two common summertime atmospheric features over Kuwait linking wind circulation to soil temperatures.In this study, we use the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts ECMWF reanalysis ERA-Interim dataset to investigate effects of the synoptic scale and mesoscale circulations.The results show that a large-scale pressure gradient in summer typically leads to northerly winds over Kuwait, while a weak synoptic-scale pressure gradient leads to light easterly humid winds from the Persian Gulf, consistent with a mesoscale circulation.The results demonstrate the significance of wind circulations in driving the Soil Temperature (SOILT). Using the Era-Interim/Land reanalysis dataset for August 2015 over Kuwait, the average SOILT on days of sea breeze is higher than the average SOILT on days dominated by a synoptic-scale pressure gradient.