Hydrology
Arabian Sea cyclones briefly refill desert aquifers
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
A few intense tropical cyclones now supply most of interior Oman’s rain and can add cubic kilometres of groundwater, interrupting chronic depletion.
Key findings
Najd received >60% of precipitation from TCs (Mekunu 20.1 km3 rain). GRACE TWS rose 3.2 ± 1.4 km3 after Mekunu, matching modelled recharge of 3.5 km3; Keila and 2020 barely moved GRACE. Unconfined water tables rose 1.7 m after Mekunu/2020, with up to 55 m rise in confined Hanfit wells. Background GRACE depletion was −0.4 then −0.9 km3 yr−1.
Methodology
The authors tracked 1990–2020 Arabian Peninsula landfalling cyclones, then estimated Najd (200,000 km2) recharge from Keila (2011), Mekunu (2018), and Cyclone 2020 using GRACE TWS, well levels, and a calibrated RiverFlow2D model.
Limitations
Three storms cannot prove every future cyclone will recharge. GRACE cannot isolate 2020 from lingering Mekunu. Agricultural pumping (cultivated area 5 to 95 km2) still dominates the long-term budget. RiverFlow2D ran only 17–18 days per storm.
How this study connects
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A few intense tropical cyclones now supply most of interior Oman’s rain and can add cubic kilometres of groundwater, interrupting chronic depletion.
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