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Thumrait

Thumrayt
Thumrait Thumrayt
Wilayat
	The wilayat of Thumrait in the Dhofar Governorate
	Thumrait Location in Oman
	Coordinates: 17°40′01″N 54°01′58″E / 17.66694°N 54.03278°E
Country	Oman
Governorate	Dhofar
Wilayat	Thumrait
Population (2020-12-12)
• Total	10,552
	(Only for the town of Thumrait, not the entire wilayat.)
Time zone	UTC+4 (GST)

Thumrait (Arabic: ثمريت) is a small town and wilayat (province) of the Dhofar Governorate in southern Oman.^[1] As of the 2020 Omani census, Thumrait had a population of 10,552.^[2] In ancient times Thumrait was an important point on the Arabian peninsula's caravan routes.^[3] Frankincense trees, an important crop, used to grow in greater abundance in Thumrait than now. The main occupation of the people of Thumrait is the cultivation of fruit, vegetables and animal fodder.^[3]

Military

Thumrait is notable for its Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) station. Originally an oil depot, RAFO Thumrait was created to establish air power in that region of Oman. The first Omani air unit based at Thumrait, equipped with Hawker Hunter FG.9 aircraft, was tasked with ground attack and intercept missions. 12 new SEPECAT Jaguar fighter-bombers were added to the base's complement to improve attack capabilities in 1977.

RAFO Thumrait has been used by US, UK and Allied air forces to support operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm around the time of the Gulf War, and later during the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021). Operations did shift though to Muscat International Airport, which was closer to Afghanistan.^[3]

Thumrait is also the home of the Western Frontier Regiment.

Exercises held at Thumrait Air Base

In 2009, Indian Air Force pilots of ‘Flaming Arrows’ and ‘Cobras’, the two SEPECAT Jaguar Squadrons participated in joint exercises called ‘Eastern Bridge’ alongside the RAFO's force of SEPECAT Jaguars and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons at Thumrait Air Base. A subsequent Indo-Omani exercise, ‘Eastern Bridge-II,’ took place in 2011 at Indian Air Force Station Jamnagar (Gujarat).^[4]^[5]

Climate

Thumrait has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with very hot summers and warm winters. There is very little rainfall; some rain may occur from February to April, as well as June to August due to the monsoon.

Climate data for Thumrait (RAFO Thumrait), elevation 448 m (1,470 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1999–2022)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	32.6 (90.7)	35.0 (95.0)	38.6 (101.5)	41.0 (105.8)	43.6 (110.5)	45.4 (113.7)	45.0 (113.0)	46.0 (114.8)	43.8 (110.8)	40.0 (104.0)	34.4 (93.9)	32.0 (89.6)	46.0 (114.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26.0 (78.8)	28.9 (84.0)	32.5 (90.5)	36.4 (97.5)	38.7 (101.7)	40.3 (104.5)	37.3 (99.1)	37.1 (98.8)	38.1 (100.6)	35.0 (95.0)	30.6 (87.1)	26.9 (80.4)	34.0 (93.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)	19.2 (66.6)	21.4 (70.5)	24.9 (76.8)	28.5 (83.3)	31.0 (87.8)	32.0 (89.6)	29.9 (85.8)	29.1 (84.4)	29.5 (85.1)	27.3 (81.1)	23.8 (74.8)	20.3 (68.5)	26.4 (79.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	12.5 (54.5)	14.7 (58.5)	18.3 (64.9)	21.7 (71.1)	24.5 (76.1)	26.1 (79.0)	25.0 (77.0)	24.2 (75.6)	23.3 (73.9)	20.5 (68.9)	17.0 (62.6)	13.7 (56.7)	20.1 (68.2)
Record low °C (°F)	1.6 (34.9)	5.8 (42.4)	8.7 (47.7)	14.1 (57.4)	16.6 (61.9)	21.2 (70.2)	21.2 (70.2)	19.5 (67.1)	17.1 (62.8)	12.0 (53.6)	9.0 (48.2)	5.0 (41.0)	1.6 (34.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	0.7 (0.03)	8.3 (0.33)	17.1 (0.67)	11.4 (0.45)	0.0 (0.0)	11.6 (0.46)	0.1 (0.00)	5.2 (0.20)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.6 (0.02)	55 (2.16)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	0.1	0.0	0.5	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.1	0.1	2
Average relative humidity (%)	54	53	46	41	43	44	63	58	51	41	47	54	50
Source 1: NOAA (preciptiation and humidity 1980–1990)^[6]
Source 2: Starlings Roost Weather^[7]

References

^ "Total Population". National Centre for Statistics & Information, Sultanate of Oman. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
^ "eCensus Portal". ecensus.gov.om. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Thumrait Air Base, Oman". Retrieved 31 January 2014.
^ "Indo-Oman Air Exercise Eastern Bridge-II Concludes," [1], "Livefist" blog
^ "Indo Oman Air Exercise – Eastern Bridge – II Concludes at Jamnagar," [2]. official Indian Air Force English language press release
^ "Thumrait Climate Normals 1980-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
^ "THUMRAIT Climate: 1991–2020". Starlings Roost Weather. Retrieved 25 December 2024.