Editing Muscat (section)

==Geography and geology==
[[File:Road towards Qantab, Muscat.jpg|thumb|Muscat's rugged terrain, with plutonic [[Central Hajar Mountains]] dotting the landscape]]
[[File:Muscat SPOT 1089.jpg|thumb|Muscat by SPOT Satellite]]

Muscat is located in northeast Oman. The [[Tropic of Cancer]] passes south of the area. It is bordered to its west by the plains of the [[Al Batinah Region]] and to its east by [[Ash Sharqiyah Region (Oman)|Ash Sharqiyah Region]]. The interior plains of [[Ad Dakhiliyah Region]] border Muscat to the south, while the [[Gulf of Oman]] forms the northern and western periphery of the city. The water along the coast of Muscat runs deep, forming two natural [[harbour]]s, in [[Muttrah]] and Muscat. The [[Central Hajar Mountains]]<ref name="OmanTourism">{{cite web |title=Mountains in Oman |url=http://www.omantourism.gov.om/wps/portal/mot/tourism/oman/home/experiences/nature/mountains |publisher=Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman |access-date=2020-02-06 |archive-date=2011-07-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715202249/http://www.omantourism.gov.om/wps/portal/mot/tourism/oman/home/experiences/nature/mountains |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="BradtOman2010">{{cite book |last=Darke |first=Diane |author-link=Diana Darke |title=Oman: The Brad Travel Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J6QKSXYG5tYC&q=oldest+mosque+oman+sumail&pg=PA189 |publisher=[[Bradt Travel Guides]] |year=2010 |access-date=15 March 2015 |isbn=9781841623320 |archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630150558/https://books.google.com/books?id=J6QKSXYG5tYC&q=oldest+mosque+oman+sumail&pg=PA189 |url-status=live }}</ref> run through the northern coastline of the city.

[[Volcanic rock]]s, predominantly serpentinite and [[diorite]] are apparent in the Muscat area and extend along the Gulf of Oman coast for ten or twelve {{convert|16|km|mi}} from the district of Darsait to Yiti.<ref>Miles (1997), p. 399.</ref> [[Pluton]]ic rocks constitute the hills and mountains of Muscat and span approximately {{convert|30|mi|km}} from Darsait to Ras Jissah. These [[igneous rock]]s consists of [[serpentinite]], [[Greenschist|greenstone]], and [[basalt]], typical of rocks in southeastern regions of the [[Arabian Peninsula]]. South of Muscat, the volcanic rock strata are broken up and distorted, rising to a maximum height of {{convert|6000|ft|m}} in [[Ad Dakhiliyah Region|Al-Dakhiliyah]], a region which includes [[Jebel Akhdar (Oman)|Jebel Akhdar]], the country's highest range. The hills in Muscat are mostly devoid of vegetation but are rich in [[iron]].{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

The [[halophytic]] ''[[sabkha]]'' type desert vegetation is predominant in Muscat.<ref>Ghazanfar (1998), p. 80.</ref> The [[Qurum]] Nature Reserve contains plants such as the ''Arthrocnemum Macrostachyum'' and ''[[halophyte|Halopeplis Perfoliata]]''. [[Coral reef]]s are common in Muscat. ''[[Acropora]]'' reefs exist in the sheltered bays of the satellite towns of Jussah and Khairan.<ref>Salm (1993), p. 52</ref> Additionally, smaller ''[[Porites]]'' reef colonies exist in Khairan, which have fused to form a flat-top pavement that is visible at low tide. [[Crab]]s and [[crayfish|spiny crayfish]] are found in the waters of the Muscat area, as are [[sardine]]s and [[bonito]].<ref>Miles (1997), p. 410.</ref> [[Asiatic glassfish|Glassfish]] are common in freshwater [[estuary|estuaries]], such as the Qurum Nature Reserve.<ref>Barth (2002), p. 292.</ref>

The Sultan Qaboos Street forms the main artery of Muscat, running west-to-east through the city. The street eventually becomes Al Nahdah Street near Al Wattayah. Several inter-city roads such as Nizwa Road and Al Amrat Road, intersect with Al Sultan Qaboos Road (in Rusail and [[Ruwi]], respectively). [[Muttrah]], with the Muscat Harbour, [[Corniche]], and [[Mina Qaboos]], is located in the north-eastern coastline of the city, adjacent to the Gulf of Oman. Other coastal districts of Muscat include [[Darsait]], [[Mina Al Fahal]], Ras Al Hamar, [[Al Qurum]] Heights, Al Khuwair, and [[Seeb, Oman|Al Seeb]]. Residential and commercial districts further inland include [[Al Hamriyah]], [[Wadi Kabir|Al Wadi Al Kabir]], [[Ruwi]], Al Wattayah, [[Madinat Qaboos]], Al Azaiba and [[Al Ghubra]].

===Climate===
{{Main|Climate of Muscat}}

Muscat features a hot, [[arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh'') with long, sweltering summers and warm winters. Annual [[rainfall]] in Muscat is about {{convert|10|cm|in|0|disp=or}}, falling mostly from December to April. In general, precipitation is scarce in Muscat, with the months May to November typically receiving only a trace of rainfall. However, in recent years, heavy precipitation events from tropical systems originating in the Arabian Sea have struck the city. [[Cyclone Gonu]] in June 2007 and [[Cyclone Phet]] in June 2010 affected the city with damaging winds and rainfall amounts exceeding {{convert|100|mm|in|0|disp=or}} in just a single day. The climate generally is very hot and also very humid in the summer, with temperatures sometimes reaching as high as {{convert|45|°C|°F|disp=or}}.

{{Weather box|width=auto
| location = Muscat ([[Muscat International Airport]]) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1961–1990)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| collapsed = yes
| Jan record high C = 34.6
| Feb record high C = 38.2
| Mar record high C = 41.5
| Apr record high C = 44.9
| May record high C = 48.3
| Jun record high C = 48.5
| Jul record high C = 49.1
| Aug record high C = 49.2
| Sep record high C = 47.2
| Oct record high C = 43.6
| Nov record high C = 39.4
| Dec record high C = 37.8
| Jan high C = 25.1
| Feb high C = 26.3
| Mar high C = 29.4
| Apr high C = 34.6
| May high C = 39.5
| Jun high C = 39.4
| Jul high C = 37.3
| Aug high C = 35.9
| Sep high C = 35.5
| Oct high C = 34.6
| Nov high C = 29.9
| Dec high C = 26.6
| Jan mean C = 21.1
| Feb mean C = 22.2
| Mar mean C = 24.9
| Apr mean C = 29.5
| May mean C = 34.2
| Jun mean C = 34.8
| Jul mean C = 33.2
| Aug mean C = 31.6
| Sep mean C = 30.8
| Oct mean C = 29.4
| Nov mean C = 25.7
| Dec mean C = 22.5
| year mean C = 
| Jan low C = 16.7
| Feb low C = 17.8
| Mar low C = 20.3
| Apr low C = 24.7
| May low C = 29.1
| Jun low C = 30.4
| Jul low C = 30.0
| Aug low C = 28.4
| Sep low C = 27.1
| Oct low C = 24.7
| Nov low C = 21.0
| Dec low C = 17.9
| Jan record low C = 1.6
| Feb record low C = 2.3
| Mar record low C = 7.0
| Apr record low C = 10.3
| May record low C = 17.2
| Jun record low C = 21.6
| Jul record low C = 23.5
| Aug record low C = 21.3
| Sep record low C = 19.0
| Oct record low C = 14.3
| Nov record low C = 9.4
| Dec record low C = 4.5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 14.3
| Feb precipitation mm = 6.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 11.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 11.4
| May precipitation mm = 2.5
| Jun precipitation mm = 7.0
| Jul precipitation mm = 1.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 0.7
| Sep precipitation mm = 0.1
| Oct precipitation mm = 0.9
| Nov precipitation mm = 6.9
| Dec precipitation mm = 9.8
| Jan humidity = 63
| Feb humidity = 64
| Mar humidity = 58
| Apr humidity = 45
| May humidity = 42
| Jun humidity = 49
| Jul humidity = 60
| Aug humidity = 67
| Sep humidity = 63
| Oct humidity = 55
| Nov humidity = 60
| Dec humidity = 65
| Jan sun = 268.6
| Feb sun = 244.8
| Mar sun = 278.3
| Apr sun = 292.5
| May sun = 347.4
| Jun sun = 325.7
| Jul sun = 277.7
| Aug sun = 278.6
| Sep sun = 303.9
| Oct sun = 316.9
| Nov sun = 291.9
| Dec sun = 267.0
| source 1 = NOAA (humidity and sun 1991–1960)<ref name=NOAA>{{Cite FTP |url=ftp://dossier.ogp.noaa.gov/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/OM/41256.TXT |server=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |url-status=dead |title=Seeb Climate Normals 1961–1990 |access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref><ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Oman/CSV/Muscat_Int_41256.csv |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=January 4, 2024}}</ref>
|source 2 = Starlings Roost Weather<ref>{{cite web |url=http://starlingsroost.ddns.net/weather/worldclimate/graphs.php?climate=9120&code=41256
|title= MUSCAT INT'L AIRPORT Climate: 1991–2020
|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather
|access-date= 25 December 2024}}</ref>
}}