Weather forecasting of rain and drought among the Arabs

Abstract

     This research aims to present the methods used by Arabs to predict rain and drought, as it became clear that they had many methods in this field, most of which focused on short-range weather forecasting, which consisted of observing stars and planets, sky colors, bird species, cloud characteristics, winds, and atmospheric humidity for months before the rainy season. In order to verify some of these methods, climatic data on relative humidity were used for four months (June-July-August-September), and statistically linked (Pearson correlation equation) with the rain of the rainy season that comes after these four months, and the results showed that the statistical relationship is weak and insignificant between the two variables. However, in general, the stations (Mosul-Kirkuk-Khanaqin-Baghdad) recorded negative relationships, meaning that the decrease in humidity in the months (June-July-August-September) indicates the possibility of increased rain (autumn, winter and spring). While the stations (Al-Rutba and Al-Hay) showed positive correlations, meaning that the increase in humidity in the months (June-July-August-September) indicates the possibility of increased rainfall (autumn, winter and spring). While the relationship was variable (positive and negative) in the rest of the climate stations (Ana, Amara, Nasiriyah, and Basra)