Analysis of Rainfall over Saudi Arabia@@@دراسة الأمطار فوق المملكة العربية السعودية

Abstract

.In this study, rainfall over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is analyzed using data from available meteorological stations. The analysis of these data shows that the highest amount of rainfall occurs during the spring over the southwest, middle and east of KSA. The second highest amount of rainfall occurs during winter over the east and northeast of KSA. The season of the lowest amount of rainfall over KSA is summer, when, except in the mountainous area in the southwest region, the amount of rainfall is very small. While the horizontal distribution pattern of rainfall during autumn is somewhat similar to that during spring, the amount of rainfall in autumn is smaller than that in spring. The most significant synoptic feature appears in spring when the cold air associated with secondary Mediterranean depressions meets the moist hot southerly air associated with Red Sea trough over KSA.