Climate Change Chart of Muscat, Oman

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Averaged across calendar months, monthly mean temperature shows a difference of +0.62 °C compared with the earlier reference period; this is an unweighted average of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual figure or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in December, with a difference of +1.54 °C. By contrast, August had the largest monthly decrease, a difference of -0.69 °C. These are the most pronounced monthly changes in opposite directions, rather than evidence that every month's mean moved alike.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall averaged across calendar months had a difference of -0.07 mm/day compared with the earlier reference period. This unweighted average of monthly means describes daily rainfall levels, not monthly rainfall totals, and does not imply the same change in every month. The largest monthly increase was in October, at a difference of +0.32 mm/day, while December recorded the largest monthly decrease, at a difference of -0.71 mm/day. The contrasting monthly changes show why the across-month mean should not be read as a uniform month-by-month pattern.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration, averaged across calendar months, had a difference of -0.12 hours/day in the more recent period. This is an unweighted average of monthly means, expressed as daily hours, rather than a day-weighted annual measure or a description of every month's conditions. The largest monthly increase occurred in December, with a difference of +0.27 hours/day; the largest monthly decrease was in July, with a difference of -0.36 hours/day. These opposite monthly changes qualify the overall mean and do not establish a continuous change between the reference periods.