A slow moving storm system will affect the Middle East much of this week. This will lead to flash flooding across much of the area. This flooding could extend from Iraq and western Iran to Saudi Arabia to Yemen.
This storm system will move in from the western Mediterranean Sea towards the northern Persian Gulf this week. This will cause widespread thunderstorms across the region. Heavy rain will trigger flash flooding across several areas of the region.
The spell of rain will start from early this week, major flooding could occur from Tuesday to Thursday. Most of the locations will have only showers and thunderstorms. There will two areas that will have significant risk of flooding.
First of the areas will be from Mecca, Saudi Arabia to Sana’a, Yemen. On Tuesday into Tuesday night, heavy thunderstorms will occur across Mecca. This will cause flash flooding in typically dry rivers and low lying areas. Stronger storms will be accompanied by hail. Flash flooding will occur suddenly, therefore people in the region will have to stay on alert and never drive through flooded streets. This spell of flooding rain will advance southwards towards Sana’a by Thursday.
The second of the areas will be from Iraq into western Iran. Although this area will not have a significant threat of flooding but, still be affected by scattered showers and thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday.
As the storm system nears on Wednesday into Thursday, the threat of flooding will increase in areas like Baghdad and Basrah. There will be sudden thunderstorms capable of producing upto 50 mm of rain. In the mountains of western Iran rainfall could amount to 100 mm.
Remaining areas like Oman and UAE will see isolated thunderstorms only, this would mean that the threat of flood will be low.
Due to the slow movement of the storm system, scattered thunderstorms may persist over the weekend. However, as the storm system weakens the flood threat would diminish.
Image Credit: metro.co.uk
