Iraqi forecaster says rainy season could start earlier this year

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A weather forecasting specialist, Sadiq Atiya, has said Iraq's rainy season could begin earlier this year than in previous seasons. In a social media post, Atiya compared the current position of the subtropical jet stream with its expected position in the first third of September, saying the maps showed a tendency for the stream to shift southward. According to the forecaster, that southward shift, combined with a weakening of the subtropical high pressure and a deepening of upper-level troughs, could create conditions favorable for weather systems to advance toward Iraq and the wider region. Atiya said the jet stream is the main driver of low-pressure systems that bring rainfall to Iraq and the Mediterranean basin. He cautioned that the pattern reflects a general atmospheric trend and should not be read as a definitive forecast for any specific rainfall event. The specialist added that further details will depend on the development of upper-level troughs and low-pressure systems in the coming period.