Rounds of rain and storms to raise flood threat in Middle East
By
Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Nov 29, 2020 5:54 PM EDT
As heavy rain hit Alexandria, Egypt, on Nov. 20, a wheel loader came to the aid of pedestrians who needed to cross a street in Smoha Square.
A slow-moving storm system will bring rounds of rain and thunderstorms across the Middle East into the beginning of the week which can increase the threat for flash flooding in some areas.
The storm first brought showers and thunderstorms to areas from northern Egypt to Lebanon, Israel and western Syria around the middle of last week.
On Thursday, local media reported flooding in central Israel after heavy rains which caused damage to military bases in the Tel Aviv area.
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As this storm tracks farther to the east into the beginning of the weel, it is expected to slow which can produce rounds of locally heavy rain and thunderstorms for several days across parts of Iraq, western Iran, northern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. These areas have the best chance of seeing dangerous flash flooding through Monday.
The greatest threat for flooding is expected to unfold across eastern Iraq and the mountainous terrain of western Iran through Sunday. These areas can see rainfall of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches), with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches) in the mountains of western Iran.
Rainfall of this magnitude can lead to dangerous flash flooding and mudslides. Some roads could be washed out and rural communities could be cut off.
Outside of this area with the heaviest rainfall, rounds of showers and thunderstorms can produce more isolated instances of heavy rainfall and flash flooding across central and southern Iraq, Kuwait and northern Saudi Arabia. Baghdad, Basrah and Kuwait City are all areas that may have to contend with heavy rainfall.
Travel delays are possible due to ponding on roadways and isolated flash flooding in low-lying areas.
Across the highest elevations of the region, enough cold air may be present to allow rain to mix with or change over to snow.
The unsettled pattern is forecast to continue across the Middle East as another round of rain could move into the region by the middle of next week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Rounds of rain and storms to raise flood threat in Middle East
By Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Nov 29, 2020 5:54 PM EDT
As heavy rain hit Alexandria, Egypt, on Nov. 20, a wheel loader came to the aid of pedestrians who needed to cross a street in Smoha Square.
A slow-moving storm system will bring rounds of rain and thunderstorms across the Middle East into the beginning of the week which can increase the threat for flash flooding in some areas.
The storm first brought showers and thunderstorms to areas from northern Egypt to Lebanon, Israel and western Syria around the middle of last week.
On Thursday, local media reported flooding in central Israel after heavy rains which caused damage to military bases in the Tel Aviv area.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
As this storm tracks farther to the east into the beginning of the weel, it is expected to slow which can produce rounds of locally heavy rain and thunderstorms for several days across parts of Iraq, western Iran, northern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. These areas have the best chance of seeing dangerous flash flooding through Monday.
The greatest threat for flooding is expected to unfold across eastern Iraq and the mountainous terrain of western Iran through Sunday. These areas can see rainfall of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches), with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches) in the mountains of western Iran.
Rainfall of this magnitude can lead to dangerous flash flooding and mudslides. Some roads could be washed out and rural communities could be cut off.
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Outside of this area with the heaviest rainfall, rounds of showers and thunderstorms can produce more isolated instances of heavy rainfall and flash flooding across central and southern Iraq, Kuwait and northern Saudi Arabia. Baghdad, Basrah and Kuwait City are all areas that may have to contend with heavy rainfall.
Travel delays are possible due to ponding on roadways and isolated flash flooding in low-lying areas.
Across the highest elevations of the region, enough cold air may be present to allow rain to mix with or change over to snow.
The unsettled pattern is forecast to continue across the Middle East as another round of rain could move into the region by the middle of next week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo