The area of the Gulf of Aden (time zone -3) and western Arabian Sea (time zones -3 and -4) addressed here extends from near the equator to 20N, and from 43E to 60E. The Gulf of Aden is located between 10-15N and 43-52E. It connects to the Red Sea via Bab el Mandeb Strait on the western end and opens to the western Arabian Sea north of Ras Asir (Cape Guardafin) on the eastern end. Socatra Island is located about 120 nm east-northeast of Ras Asir. The Gulf is approximately 480 nm in length and varies in width from 13 nm at Bab el Mandeb to about 174 nm at Ras Asir. The Gulf is bordered by 6,000 ft mountains with peaks to 10,000 ft on the north, while along the southern shore a coastal plain, narrowing from west to east, is backed by 6,000 ft plus mountains and high plateaus. Significant ports and coastal locations of interest include Aden on the northwest coast, Djibouti at the western end, and Berbera on the southwest coast.

The annual weather patterns for this region can be divided into four seasons:

1. Northeast Monsoon, December to March.
2. Transition season, April and May.
3. Southwest Monsoon, June to September.
4. Transition season, October and November.

The climate of the Gulf of Aden is exceptionally dry and, especially from May to September, very hot. Very little rain falls over the Gulf and coastal areas, on average of 2-4 inches per year, generally during the early part of the year and in the form of showers. Violent local thunderstorms occur over the coastal mountains and high plateaus. The climate of the western Arabian Sea is generally cooler than that of the Gulf, but still quite hot. Very little rain falls over the northern portion of the area addressed here, but near the equator annual amounts are about 25 inches, mostly falling during the Southwest Monsoon and transition seasons. This seasonal rainfall pattern is the reverse of the eastern Arabian Sea where the Southwest Monsoon brings extremely heavy rainfall to Eastern India and offshore areas.