Wadi Darbat Waterfall on a Tour

The heavy rain fell just after we arrived into Salalah after our 2 week Oman tour from Muscat.  We had intended to camp in the desert but Badar decided that a comfortable, dry hotel would be better for our tourists.

Badar at Wadi Darbat

And with that choice he enabled our guests to see the famous waterfalls at Wadi Darbat.

Wadi Darbat Water Falls

Rain and Flood in Muscat

Unexpectedly heavy rain for this time of year all over Oman and in Muscat and Salalah especially.

Waterfalls in Muscat Mountains

What started as a light rain intensified

Sidab Flood

and in a couple of hours lifted cars away and flooded buildings.

Outside Al Nahda Hospital Ruwi

 

Rain in Salalah

Rain is welcome in Salalah Oman , it keeps the mountains green and these are a great source of pride to the local population; and helps all the fruit farmers in the town with better water supply.

Rain clouds gather over Oman's southern mountains

But even better than rain – is

Oman’s Mud Brick Forts

With so much rain cascading into Oman recently its a reminder why concrete is such a great building material ; and even with that so many houses have been damaged by floods.

One of Omans mud brick forts

Rain in Oman’s Mountains

We spent a wonderful day up in the cool of Oman’s northern mountains. For much of the time we were under cloud cover which, as the day wore on, increased .

Shafts of Sunlight in Omans Mountains

Its unusual to have extensive cloud cover here, but on the drive home we drove through about 150kms of intermittent rain – arriving in Muscat to find that the rain probably arrived in Muscat first, before covering the mountain peaks inland.

Rain soaked steets in Muttrah an unusual sight

A stormy few days are forecast as all schools in Muscat are advised to close on Sunday by the Education Ministry