An absence of shamal winds that traditionally sweep down the Gulf was responsible for soaring temperatures last month in Bahrain, making August the third hottest month since 1902.

With a mean temperature of 35.7C, it was only slightly cooler than the hottest month on record, which was recorded in August 1998 with a mean temperature of 36.5C, according to the meteorology office.

The second hottest month on record was August 2000, with a mean temperature of 35.8C.

'The maximum temperatures were above normal during the month,' the Civil Aviation (CAA) Affairs Meteorology Directorate said in a statement. 'The maximum temperature for the month was on August 8, when it touched 43.5C.'

However, last month will go down in history as having the highest minimum mean temperature of 32.8C.

'The old record of 32.4C was set in August 1998,' added the statement.

Last month's minimum temperature of 31.1C, recorded on August 13, was also the highest on record for August since 1902.

Meanwhile, there were 16 days last month when maximum temperatures exceeded 40C.

'The month was very hot and humid due to the absence of shamal winds,' added the statement. 'This resulted in easterly winds bringing hot and humid conditions to the island.'

The CAA revealed shamal winds were present for just 18 per cent of the time last month, compared with 65 per cent of the time in August last year, 30 per cent in August 2008 and 53 per cent in August 2007.

Humidity

However, last month was also the third least humid August on record - with a mean maximum relative humidity of 75 per cent.

'This was the same as August 1984, 1992 and 2004 and was only exceeded in August last year, when it was 65 per cent and August 1997, when it was 73 per cent,' added the CAA statement.

The mean minimum relative humidity for the month was 35 per cent, which also goes on record as the third lowest for August behind 2009, when it was 30 per cent, and August 2005, when it was 32 per cent.

The GDN previously reported that this year saw the highest ever temperature in June, when the mercury touched 46.9C on June 20.

That was more than a degree hotter than the previous record of 45.8C, set in 2008. – TradeArabia News Service