Last month was Bahrain's second hottest August on record, weathermen said, adding that the mean temperature for the month was 35.9C, which was 1.9C above average and the second hottest recorded since 1902.

However, it was the least humid August on record with a mean minimum relative humidity of 27 per cent - beating the previous record of 30 per cent in August, 2009.

Last month was also the second sunniest August since such records began in 1968 with 354.9 hours of total sunshine - second only to 355.3 hours in August, 1974.

The statistics were released by Civil Aviation Affairs yesterday.

'The highest temperature recorded in the month was 44.2C set on August 9,' it said in a statement. 'This was due to the warm and dry westerly winds which dominated during the morning.'

The mean maximum temperature for the month was 40.1C, which is the fifth highest recorded for August, while the met office reported 13 days when maximum temperatures reached 40C or more.

Meanwhile, the mean minimum temperature last month was 32.5C - the second highest for August since 1946 and exceeded only by 32.8C in August, 2010.

The minimum temperature record was 31.1C on August 30.

The mean maximum relative humidity for the month was 70 per cent, which was the second lowest mean maximum relative humidity for August - beaten only by August, 2009 and August, 2011 with 68 per cent. – TradeArabia News Service