Monsoon rains begin in Sultanate of Oman

Our Correspondent

Drizzle and light rains have arrived in the Governorate of Dhofar in the Sultanate of Oman with the beginning of the khareef (monsoon) season on June 21, Oman News Agency reported.
Most coastal wilayats and the stretch of land from Dhalkut in Western Dhofar to Mirbat on the East usually experience wet weather during this time of the year when the sun goes directly overhead in the Tropic of Cancer.
The monsoon occurs due to the difference between the temperature of sea water and the temperature on land in summer. The temperature of sea water drops along coastal areas in Dhofar during this season due to the rise of cold currents from the seabed, coinciding with a constant blowing of southwesterly winds loaded with large quantities of water vapour.  When these winds hit the mountains, this causes the air loaded with water vapour to go up, condense and form low-altitude clouds.

The monsoon brings about fog in the Arabian Sea close to the coast in Dhofar.  Due to active southwesterly winds, the fog moves across the land causing low surface visibility (which extends to a mere 1,000 metres) as well as rough seas, with wave heights ranging between 3 to 5 m along the coast of Dhofar and Al Wusta governorates. The wave height decreases gradually towards Ras Al Hadd in the Wilayat of Sur.
Rainfall averages 50 mm in Salalah city during the monsoon season.  Most of the rains fall in July and August, averaging 120 mm in central mountainous areas. The monsoon winds are more intense in the mountainous areas than in the plains, but making both green.