W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 1996 The Meteorological Effects of the Kuwait Oil Fires Patrick Kevin Dowling College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons, and the Meteorology Commons Recommended Citation Dowling, Patrick Kevin, "The Meteorological Effects of the Kuwait Oil Fires" (1996). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539626039. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-n872-4n75 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Meteorological Effects of the Kuwait Oil Fires A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Applied Science The College of William and Mary In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Patrick K. Dowling 1996 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of- Arts Approved, September 1996 Dr. Joel S. Levine Dr. Mark Hinders Dr Richard S. Eckman DEDICATION To Maria Jean Dowling, my loving wife and inspiration. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES xv ABSTRACT xxvii INTRODUCTION 2 CHAPTER L REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGY 8 CHAPTER B. DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: 1991-1994 22 CHAPTER m . RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: 1991-1994 96 CHAPTER IV. BAHRAIN: 1991-1994 162 CHAPTER V. TEMPERATURE COMPARISONS 228 CHAPTER VI. CONCLUSIONS 241 BIBLIOGRAPHY 252 VITA 254 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. Joel S. Levine, under whose guidance this investigation was conducted, for his creativity, guidance and honest evaluation throughout the research period. His mentorship has enhanced this meteorologist’s scientific skills. The author is indebted to Professors Mark Hinders, Richard Eckman and Gerald Johnson for their careful reading and criticism of the manuscript. The writer sincerely thanks Mr A. Majeed H. Isa, Bahrain’s Chief of Meteorology, for the extensive and timely meteorological data. Finally, the author graciously thanks the United States Air Force £CWeather Warriors”, who served at Dhahran Air Base and Riyadh Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially ‘Rotation 13” 4404 Composite Wing (Provisional). LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Dhahran Extreme Maximum Temperatures 25 2. Dhahran Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations 26 3. Dhahran Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 27 4. Dhahran Mean Maximum Temperature 30 5. Dhahran Mean Maximum Temp erature Standard Deviations 31 6. Dhahran Mean Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 32 7. Dhahran Mean Temperatures 34 8. Dhahran Mean Temperature Standard Deviations 35 9. Dhahran Mean Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 36 10. Dhahran Mean Minimum Temperatures 38 11. Dhahran Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 39 12. Dhahran Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 40 13. Dhahran Extreme Minimum Temperatures 42 14. Dhahran Extreme Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 43 vi 15. Dhahran Extreme Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 44 16. Dhahran Mean Morning Relative Humidity 46 17. Dhahran Mean Morning Relative Humidity Standard Deviations 47 18. Dhahran Mean Morning Relative Humidity Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 48 19. Dhahran Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity 50 20. Dhahran Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity Standard Deviations 51 21. Dhahran Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 52 22. Dhahran Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation 54 23. Dhahran Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation Standard Deviations 55 24. Dhahran Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 56 25. Dhahran Number of Days With Thunderstorms 59 26. Dhahran Number of Days With Thunderstorms Standard Deviations 60 27. Dhahran Number of Days With Thunderstorms Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 61 28. Dhahran Precipitation Accumulation Totals 63 29. Dhahran Precipitation Accumulation Totals Standard Deviations 65 30. Dhahran Precipitation Accumulation Totals Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 66 31. Dhahran Peak Winds 68 32. Dhahran Peak Wind Standard Deviations 69 vii Dhahran Peak Wind Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 70 Dhahran Days With Fog 72 Dhahran Fog Totals and Averages 73 Dhahran Days With Fog Standard Deviations 74 Dhahran Days With Fog Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 75 Dhahran Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand 78 Dhahran Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand Standard Deviations 79 Dhahran Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 80 Dhahran Days With Smoke and/or Haze 81 Dhahran Days With Smoke and/or Haze Standard Deviations 83 Dhahran Days With Smoke and/or Haze Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 84 Dhahran Days With Haze 87 Dhahran Days With Haze Standard Deviations 88 Dhahran Days With Haze Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 89 Dhahran Days With Smoke 92 Dhahran Days With Smoke Standard Deviations 93 Dhahran Days With Smoke Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 94 Riyadh Extreme Maximum Temperatures 97 Riyadh Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations 98 viii 51. Riyadh Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 99 52. Riyadh Mean Maximum Temperature 101 53. Riyadh Mean Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations 102 54. Riyadh Mean Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 103 55. Riyadh Mean Temperatures 105 56. Riyadh Mean Temperature Standard Deviations 106 57. Riyadh Mean Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 107 58. Riyadh Mean Minimum Temperatures 109 59. Riyadh Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 110 60. Riyadh Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 111 61. Riyadh Extreme Minimum Temperatures 113 62. Riyadh Extreme Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 114 63. Riyadh Extreme Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 115 64. Riyadh Mean Morning Relative Humidity 117 65. Riyadh Mean Morning Relative Humidity Standard Deviations 118 66. Riyadh Mean Morning Relative Humidity Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 119 . 67. Riyadh Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity 121 68. Riyadh Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity Standard Deviations 122 69. Riyadh Mean Afternoon Relative Humidity Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 123 ix 70. Riyadh Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation 125 71. Riyadh Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation Standard Deviations 126 72. Riyadh Number of Days With Measurable Precipitation Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 127 73. Riyadh Number of Days With Thunderstorms 129 74. Riyadh Number of Days With Thunderstorms Standard Deviations 130 7 5. Riyadh Number of Days With Thunderstorms Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 131 76. Riyadh Precipitation Accumulation Totals 133 77. Riyadh Precipitation Accumulation Totals Standard Deviations 134 7 8. Riyadh Precipitation Accumulation Totals Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 135 79. Riyadh Peak Winds 137 80. Riyadh Peak Wind Standard Deviations 138 81. Riyadh Peak Wind Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 139 82. Riyadh Days With Fog 141 83. Riyadh Days With Fog Standard Deviations 142 84. Riyadh Days With Fog Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 143 85. Riyadh Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand 145 86. Riyadh Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand Standard Deviations 146 87. Riyadh Days With Suspended and/or Blowing Dust and/or Sand Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 147 x Riyadh Days With Smoke and/or Haze 149 Riyadh Days With Smoke and/or Haze Standard Deviations 150 Riyadh Days With Smoke and/or Haze Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 151 Riyadh Days With Haze 153 Riyadh Days With Haze Standard Deviations 154 Riyadh Days With Haze Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 155 Riyadh Days With Smoke 158 Riyadh Days With Smoke Standard Deviations 159 Riyadh Days With Smoke Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 160 Bahrain Extreme Maximum Temperatures 163 Bahrain Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations 164 Bahrain Extreme Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 165 Bahrain Mean Maximum Temperature 168 Bahrain Mean Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations 169 Bahrain Mean Maximum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 170 Bahrain Mean Temperatures 172 Bahrain Mean Temperature Standard Deviations 173 Bahrain Mean Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 174 Bahrain Mean Minimum Temperatures 176 Bahrain Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 177 xi 108. Bahrain Mean Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations, 1991 vs 1992-1994 Average 178 109. Bahrain Extreme Minimum Temperatures 180 110. Bahrain Extreme Minimum Temperature Standard Deviations 181 111. Bahrain Extreme Minimum Temperature