Spatio-temporal analysis of the Arabian High and its redefinition as the Southwest Asian Anticyclone | ||
| جغرافیا و برنامهریزی | ||
| Volume 30, Issue 96, August 2026 | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.22034/gp.2025.67534.3425 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Sousan Heidari1; Mostafa Karimi* 2; Maryam Edalat Moghadam3 | ||
| 1PhD in Climatology, Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran | ||
| 2Associate Professor of Climatology, Department of Physical Geography, University of Tehran | ||
| 3PhD Student of Climatology, Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran | ||
| Abstract | ||
| A persistent high-pressure system extending from eastern Africa across the Arabian Peninsula to the Arabian Sea significantly influences the weather and climatic conditions of Iran and the broader Southwest Asian region. In domestic scientific literature commonly referred to as the "Arabian High" or "Arabian Subtropical/" Anticyclone and is a crucial element of the region’s atmospheric circulation. This study examines the spatiotemporal behavior of the anticyclone by analyzing its monthly location at three pressure levels: 850, 700, and 500 hPa. Using ERA5 reanalysis geopotential height data over the period 1940 to 2023. Findings reveal a distinct seasonal movement pattern. At 850 hPa, the anticyclone is mainly centered over the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent land areas during the warm season. As the region enters the cold season, it gradually shifts southward, with its core positioned over the Arabian Sea and southeastern Arabia at winter’s peak. The system returns northward over land with the onset of warmer months. A similar movement trend is observed at 700 and 500 hPa, though spatial variability intensifies with altitude. In particular, at 500 hPa, the system displays greater latitudinal and longitudinal spread, especially during the cold season, extending from the eastern Arabian Sea to the Red Sea. Given its pronounced role in regional atmospheric dynamics and Iran’s climate, we propose the term Southwest Asian Anticyclone. This designation more accurately reflects the system’s spatial extent and synoptic identity, offering a clearer conceptual framework for future meteorological and climatological research. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Subtropical High Pressure; Arabian High Pressure; Arabian Anticyclone; Southwest Asian Anticyclone | ||
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