🇴🇲Oman

Oman occupies approximately 315,331 km² on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, flanked by the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the vast Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert. Dominated by hot desert climate (BWh), most of the country experiences extreme aridity with coastal plains receiving 20–100 mm annual rainfall and interior temperatures reaching 49.8°C in summer, while mountainous regions like Jebel Akhdar can receive up to 900 mm.

The southern Dhofar Governorate stands as a striking climatic anomaly: its capital Salalah benefits from the southwest monsoon (khareef) between June and September, transforming the region into Oman's most fertile area with constantly running streams and lush vegetation, while the rest of the nation endures hyperarid conditions. The rugged Hajar Mountains, rising to Mount Shams at about 3,000 m, create dramatic topographic variation that shapes local microclimates and seasonal water availability through extensive wadi systems.

Oman has experienced significant tropical cyclone activity in the Arabian Sea. Cyclone Gonu in June 2007 became the strongest cyclone recorded in the Arabian Sea, peaking at 240 km/h before making landfall on Oman's easternmost tip, killing 50 people, sending more than 20,000 to shelters, and causing $4.2 billion in damage.

Cyclone Mekunu struck Dhofar near Salalah in May 2018, the first hurricane-intensity storm since 1959, dropping 617 mm of rain and causing $1.5 billion in damage. Cyclone Shaheen made landfall west of Muscat in October 2021, with 290.8 mm rainfall in Suwaiq, deadly flash floods and widespread damage. Sea-level rise is accelerating and threatens Muscat's coastal infrastructure and increases storm surge risks.

Our archive covers 8 Omani cities with daily ERA5 reanalysis data going back to 1940. Comparing the last decade against the 1940–1970 baseline, mean temperatures across these cities have risen by about 1.7°C.