THE RECENT AIR-TEMPERATURE RISE IN KUWAIT

Recently, there is increasing concern in Kuwait regarding the frequent occurrences of harsh climate conditions with summer air temperature e xceeding the 50 degrees C mark. In particular, in the last 20 years, t he maximum yearly temperature is persistently exceeding its mean value for the whole recorded period. In an effort to explain this phenomeno n, a study was made on the surface air temperature records for the pas t three decades measured at Kuwait International Airport and at a near by coastal station at Ras Al-Khafja. The analyses have demonstrated th at the airport weather station is more influenced by urbanization than Ras Al-Khafja. The linear trend of the air temperature data for both stations consistently showed a cooling period until 1972, followed by a warming period with temperature increases in the range of 0.03-0.08 degrees C yr(-1). This warming trend is believed to be partly due to g lobal climate change and the rest is due to man-induced local change i n climate caused by urbanization. The urban warming appears to be both a daytime and nighttime phenomenon, with maximum? mean and minimum te mperatures showing a considerable increase. It is estimated that urban warming accounts for 25% of the maximum temperature increase. (C) 199 7 Elsevier Science Ltd.