Thunderstorms with tropical characteristics will affect many Arab countries for the rest of the month. How is that?

2026-03-22 2026-03-22T12:48:52Z
هشام جمال
هشام جمال
مُتنبئ جوي

Arab Weather - Computer maps in Arab Weather indicate that, God willing, during the remainder of March, large parts of the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq will be affected by unstable weather conditions, which will be strong, especially in areas of the east and south of the Arabian Peninsula.

This weather pattern is due to a confluence of several atmospheric factors. A number of cold upper-level troughs and low-pressure systems are moving towards the region, coinciding with rising surface temperatures. This leads to the formation of warm air masses in the lower atmosphere. Additionally, large amounts of moisture are flowing in from the south in the form of warm , water-vapor-rich air currents originating from tropical regions. This atmospheric configuration will result in the widespread development of tropical-like thunderstorms across the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq in the coming days.

Massive and recurring thunderstorms accompanied by numerous weather phenomena

These subtropical clouds are characterized by their widespread nature (i.e., they cover large areas at the same time) in addition to their vertical extension to the upper atmosphere. They cause heavy and continuous rainfall for long hours, and are accompanied by clear activity of frequent and renewed thunderstorms, in addition to the falling of hail showers that may be heavy and large in size at times, which may cause material damage in some areas.

These clouds are also characterized by strong to very strong winds as they pass through, which stir up sandstorms. In many cases, this type of cloud is accompanied by waterspouts or tornadoes, due to the intense wind shear activity in such thunderstorms.

Scientifically, clouds with tropical characteristics typically form in areas near the equator, where high humidity and temperatures are present. However, in such cases, the influx of tropical moisture towards the Arabian Peninsula, coupled with high surface temperatures, activates convection currents that lift the moist air to the upper atmosphere.

With the presence of cold upper-level troughs, instability increases significantly, promoting the growth of cumulonimbus clouds to take on a tropical character in terms of intensity, density, and continuity, which explains the expectations of heavy rainfall and strong thunderstorms during the coming period.

We ask God for safety for everyone.

And God knows best.

This article was written originally in Arabic and is translated using a 3rd party automated service. ArabiaWeather is not responsible for any grammatical errors whatsoever.
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