By M Najmuz Zafar – Muscat Daily
July 25, 2013

People in Muscat and other coastal towns of the sultanate have been spared the worst of summer with the month of July recording a lower than usual temperature.

Data with the Met department suggests that in July, the average maximum temperature of Muscat is around 38°C, but this year in the entire month average temperature has been hovering at less than 35°C. The average maximum temperature for Muscat in August is 35.6°C.

Reasoning the change, an official at the Met department said, “Due to the dominance of easterly winds which have been blowing over the coast, there is moisture in the air, which has a cooling affect. It is opposite in the interiors, where westerly winds dominate. The temperatures there have continued to be in mid 40s.”

He added that the temperature was at its peak in Muscat on Tuesday, with a recording of 39.5°C. “However, on Wednesday it was again around 35°C, and it will be around the same on Thursday as well.”

However, it will not be same in the interior areas like Fahoud in Dhahirah which recorded a high of 47°C on Wednesday. “The forecast for Thursday is even worse, at 48°C – the hottest in the sultanate, followed by 47°C in Ibra and Ibri,” he said.

Other areas that will continue to witness temperature in mid 40s are Nizwa (45°C), Bahla (45°C), Buraimi (44°C), Rustaq (43°C) and Samail (43°C).