Thunderstorms of rare intensity accompanied by torrential rains hit the Arabian Peninsula on Tuesday. Roads, shopping centers, and metro stations were invaded by torrents of water.
The violent storms also affected Bahrain, several regions of Qatar, and Oman, where at least 19 people died in the floods. A low pressure area developed over central Saudi Arabia, then slowly moved east the next day. The development of this cyclonic depression has been associated with the presence of a tropical jet core, a high-altitude wind current that enhances vertical motion, favoring the formation of thunderstorms. Very strong storms formed over the Gulf countries, causing an impressive series of precipitation and wind. This pressure configuration is unprecedented. The international ClimaMeter consortium is studying the event. It is so intense and unprecedented that we cannot find similar events in our databases, which date back to 1979! In Al Ain, on the border between Oman and Abu Dhabi, up to 254 mm fell in less than 24 hours, which corresponds to about two years of precipitation.