A rather small group of 33 islands nestled in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain experiences only two seasons that can generally be described as extremely hot in summer and relatively cool in winter. Starting in April and running all the way through to October, Bahrain’s summer season experiences average temperatures of 40 °C often soaring to a sizzling 48 °C especially during June and July. Needless to say that because of the intense heat and the islands high humidity levels summer season is rather uncomfortable, especially to those not accustomed to almost boiling point temperature levels. To make matters worse, summer time is also characterized by the periodical appearances of the hot, dry southwest wind, known locally as the qaws, who cover the barren southern end of Bahrain toward Manama with thick clouds of sand.

Temperature levels drop considerably during the winter season - from November to March – usually fluctuating between 10 °C and 20 °C. Unfortunately humidity levels take the exact opposite direction during winter, often rising above 90%. From December to March, damp air is brought to the island by the prevailing winds from the southeast, known as the shamal.

Bahrain receives little precipitation that is confined to the winter months averaging about seventy-two millimeters per year. There are no permanent rivers or streams on any of the islands. Winter rainfall comes in the form of brief, torrential bursts that flood the otherwise shallow wadis, obstructing transportation in the process. Because of Bahrain’s rather desert terrain, little of the rainwater is saved for irrigation or drinking. There is however a number of natural springs in the northern part of Bahrain and on adjacent islands, which have attracted settlers in the archipelago since ancient times, and underground freshwater deposits also extend beneath the Persian Gulf to the Saudi Arabian coast.