GCC-Stat Reports Significant Increase In Rainfall And Record High Temperatures For 2023
Recent statistics from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) show a 39.6% rise in rainfall across GCC nations in 2023. The average rainfall reached 97.2 mm, up from 69.7 mm in 2022, yet it still falls short of the historical average of 109.6 mm recorded between 1980 and 2009.
In 2023, temperatures in GCC countries hit a record high, with an average maximum of 48.2 degrees Celsius, compared to 46.8 degrees Celsius in the previous year. The minimum temperature averages also increased significantly, reaching 9.5 degrees Celsius from just 5 degrees Celsius in 2022.
The region benefits from substantial solar resources, with daily solar radiation averaging between 5.6 and 6.4 W/m2 from 1999 to 2018. This makes solar energy a viable option for electricity generation, particularly during hot summers.
Solar energy production in GCC countries saw a significant increase, jumping from 0.13 thousand gigawatt-hours in 2013 to an impressive 10.8 thousand gigawatt-hours by 2022. This represents an annual growth rate of 81.1%. Additionally, the design capacity of solar plants expanded at an average annual rate of 94.6% over the past decade.
The number of dams collecting surface water from rainfall rose to 861 in GCC countries by 2023, up from 854 dams in the previous year.
Climate Monitoring and Disaster Preparedness
The GCC has enhanced its climate monitoring capabilities with an increase to 297 stations by 2023, compared to just 161 stations a decade earlier in 2013.
All GCC nations have developed national strategies for disaster risk reduction aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). These strategies aim to mitigate risks associated with natural disasters effectively.
With inputs from WAM
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