Dhofar Autumn: A green oasis in the heart of the hot desert

Arab Weather - When we say "Gulf" and "summer" in the same sentence, many ideas come to mind, such as bright sun, scorching temperatures, desert, and humidity. However, things are completely different when we arrive in the Sultanate of Oman, specifically in the Dhofar Governorate.

Autumn season in Dhofar

Oman's Dhofar Governorate, specifically Salalah, is a popular tourist destination for visitors from across the Gulf region during the "khareef" season, which is the peak of the summer tourist season.

During the "khareef" season, from June to mid-September, nature transforms magnificently as the land flourishes with lush green meadows, thanks to the southwest monsoon winds that blow during the summer. A seasonal phenomenon known locally as "khareef" occurs, with most mountainous areas covered in fog and experiencing seasonal drizzle. This natural phenomenon encourages plant growth, streams flow, and waterfalls form, transforming the barren desert landscape into a magical green oasis.

Why does Salalah experience the "Khareef" season in the summer?

Arab Weather experts said that the "Mascara" high pressure system located south of the equator in the Indian Ocean is responsible for the intensity/movement of winds and ocean currents that cross the equator, shifting from southeasterly to southwesterly upon crossing the equator. They added that the activity of the Somali jet stream (southwesterly/westerly winds in the low layers that cross the northern Horn of Africa) is considered one of the most important stimuli for the Dhofar Khareef. The topographical nature (the Somali Mountains) also plays a prominent role in the deviation of monsoon winds towards the Arabian Sea.

Arab Weather experts added that the monsoon winds blowing parallel to the Dhofar coasts cause cold water to be drawn from the depths to replace the warm water on the surface in a phenomenon known as the updraft. This creates a temperature difference between the "warm and humid" monsoon winds and the cold surface water. If the sea temperature is lower than the dew point temperature in relation to the air, fog or low clouds form in the Arabian Sea and move towards the land, covering most of the eastern and southeastern parts of the Dhofar Mountains. They are sometimes accompanied by drizzle and light rain.

The Dhofar Mountains also contribute to the formation of another type of cloud, caused by the humid southwesterly winds blowing in the Dhofar Mountains. This causes the air laden with water vapor to rise upwards, leading to the condensation of water vapor, forming low clouds.