Photos

I had to stop a few times in Oman to refuel to and from Afghanistan. Every time, I became grateful that I was based in Kuwait and not stationed here. While both Kuwait and Oman reached temperatures of around 122° F (50° C) in the summer, there was one vital difference. In the summer, the interior of the Arabian Peninsula heats up, and there is a constant wind from the interior to the cooler coast. In Kuwait, this meant a constant wind, but a dry one. In Oman, the coastal mountains apparently block that wind, allowing the humidity from the Gulf of Arabia to come inland.

On this particular day, the humidity was right around 100%, making it feel (according to the heat index calculators online) like 400° F (200° C).

Other than the sun-baked ground crews, this palm tree was the only significant life form visible nearby, other than tiny scrub bushes off at the end of the runway.