Climates of the Arabian Peninsula - past, present, future

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to look into climate and climate change in a wider setting ranging from geological time through historical to instrumental records. Design/methodology/approach - The authors give an overview of the past, present, and future climates and the status of water resources of the Arabian Peninsula, and describe climatic forcings that shape the current climate, and the variables that are most prone to the change of existing atmospheric conditions. Findings - Present weather patterns of the Peninsula are governed by Hadley circulation, and modulated by El Nino - southeastern oscillation, PDO, NAO, and IOO. The process of aridification is proceeding. Originality/value - The global assessment of the imminent climate change is streamlined into predictions that are relevant for the Arabian Peninsula. Conclusions are drawn on the need for extended research effort based in countries of the Arabian Peninsula for the optimal preparation of management actions to tackle both climate change and resulting water resources issues in the region.