Monthly Weather Summary - May 2014

The month of May 2014 goes on record as the second hottest May ever experienced in Bahrain since 1902.

The mean temperature of the month was 32.4°C. This is 2.6°C above the long-term normal. This goes on record as the second highest mean monthly temperature for May and only exceeded by May 2012 which was 32.8°C.

The mean maximum temperature of the month was 37.2°C. This goes on record as the third highest mean maximum temperature for May since 1946 and exceeded by May 2012 which was 37.9°C and May 2007 which was 37.3°C.

The maximum temperatures were above normal during the month except in a few days. The highest temperature recorded in the month was 45.1°C which was on the 28th of May due to the warm southwesterly to westerly winds which were dominated during that morning. This goes on record as the third highest mean monthly temperature for May and exceeded by 29th of May in 1972 which was 46.7°C, 24th of May 2009 and 12th of May 2011 which was 45.6°C. During the month Bahrain had 5 days with maximum temperature which exceeded 40°C.

The mean minimum temperature of the month was 28.7°C. This goes on record as the second highest mean minimum temperature for May since 1946 and only exceeded by May 2012 which was 29.1°C. The minimum temperatures were also above normal during the month. The lowest temperature record was 25.6°C set on the 7th of May.

The mean relative humidity for May was 39%. This goes on record as the lowest mean monthly relative humidity for May since 1955. This is the same as May 2012.

The mean maximum relative humidity for the month was 62%. This goes on record as the third lowest mean monthly maximum relative humidity for May since 1955. This is same as May 2011 and exceeded by May 2012 which was 58% and May 2009 which was 61%. The mean minimum relative humidity of the month was 19%. This goes on record as the lowest mean monthly minimum relative humidity for May since 1955. The old record was 20% in May 2012.

May 2014 was the sunniest month for all the months of May since the sunshine records began in 1968. The total hour of sunshine for the month was 356.8 hours. The old record was 351.5 hours which was recorded in May 1988.

Only trace amounts of precipitation were recorded on 1st, 3rd, 11th, 12th and 13th May at the airport. Note that the long-term mean total precipitation for May is 1.1 mm.

Shamal winds accounted 55% of the observation with gusts reached 31 knots on the 10th May at the airport. Widespread thick dust haze reported on the 11th May. Visibility dropped to 1000 meters at the airport.