Precipitation in Southwest Asia: Highly Variable, 10–40+ Inches
Precipitation across Southwest Asia (Middle East) varies dramatically:
General Pattern
- Northwest & Mountains: 20–40+ inches (500–1,000+ mm) — Mediterranean climate (Levant coast, Taurus, Zagros, Elburz)
- Central/Interior Plateaus: 5–15 inches (125–375 mm) — Semi-arid steppe
- South & East (Arabian Desert, Dasht-e Kavir/Lut): <5 inches (<125 mm) — Hyper-arid desert
- Monsoon fringe (Dhofar, Yemen highlands): 10–30 inches (seasonal)
Examples
| Location | Annual Precip | Climate |
|---|
| Beirut, Lebanon | ~32 in (800 mm) | Mediterranean |
| Amman, Jordan | ~11 in (280 mm) | Semi-arid |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | ~4 in (100 mm) | Arid |
| Tehran, Iran | ~9 in (230 mm) | Semi-arid (mountain-influenced) |
| Muscat, Oman | ~4 in (100 mm) | Arid (but Dhofar: 20+ in) |
| Ankara, Turkey | ~15 in (380 mm) | Continental semi-arid |
Key Drivers
- Latitude, elevation, distance from sea, mountain barriers, subtropical high pressure
- Climate change: drying trend in Mediterranean zone; intensifying extremes
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