Green Arabia
It is thought that at that time, after the last ice age, climatic conditions were not as extreme as they are today, and that the region was less desert-like. The presence of rivers, lakes and meadows even in the heart of the desert made it possible for game to exist, and for agriculture to begin to ensure the survival of the first inhabitants in relatively good conditions. So what happened? Why did the steppes that once covered the Rub al-Khali, where skeletons of 4-tusked elephants, crocodiles and even hippos have been found, disappear? Archaeologists hypothesize that the monsoon rains that come from India and reach the Omani coast near Salalah, went much further north, up until 5,000 years ago. Changes in the Earth's axis of rotation could explain this stop. These wet periods ended 3,000 years ago during the Iron Age, forcing populations to move towards the oases and the coast in order to survive.
An arid climate
Today, the climate is arid subtropical, with clear skies and high temperatures for much of the year, and virtually no rain. There are two main seasons: temperate winter, from November to March, with temperatures around 24°C during the day and dropping to 10°C at night in the middle of the desert. The "coolest" months are December to February, when temperatures average 16°C in the evening. And summer is hot and humid, with the mercury flirting with 40°C during the day and barely less at night. In July and August, the atmosphere becomes downright unbearable, with peaks of 50°C! The sea temperature then rises to 37°C (compared with 21°C in winter) and loses all its refreshing virtue. The shoulder seasons, October-November and March-April, are pleasant times, much less stifling than summer and very mild in the evenings (around 26°C on average). These figures vary somewhat in desert areas, where the day-night differential is more marked. A heavy sweater may even be necessary for night outings in the desert in the middle of January, or in the mountains!
Sunshine almost all year round, even if...
Rainfall is somewhat lacking, with very few showers falling between December and March and average annual rainfall rarely exceeding 65 mm, although recent years have seen an increase in rainfall with more and more episodic showers! Around the mountains, sudden and intense rainfall can occur in winter, transforming wadis into torrents and causing spectacular local flooding. In the cities, rainy days can lead to huge traffic jams and even school closures, as well as flooding all over the town! The cause is a virtually non-existent drainage system. Sandstorms can also occur sporadically between March and April, partially destabilizing daily life in the cities.
Make it rain
In one of the world's driest countries, the Emirates are paying top dollar for researchers to make it rain. For several years now, to make up for this lack of rain, planes have been taking off regularly to seed the clouds to make it rain by injecting salt crystals in the form of cartridges, which increase condensation, with rather good results. The government and local newspapers regularly report on this subject.
