'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎27r] (58/738)

CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA
49
roll uptt f
n the after-
ley are vert
west wini
attaining a
rth-west in
y common,
all througt
ieh greater
rning and
loon wind
haninthe
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ort scale),
Wiile the
morning,
ter, thus
l making
hamlyeh,
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i, On the
idden and
.pril when
n. In the
rindless or
to sunset
winds an
forth Sinai
climate oi
riapwpff-
rion is th®
5
mild winter and the hot summer, the latter lasting from May
to September. At Nekhl, owing to its high situation, the
range of temperature is very great, varying between a recorded
absolute maximum of 108° F. to an absolute minimum of 18° F.
The range of temperature is accentuated by the high nocturnal
radiation which not infrequently causes sharp frosts to occur
here. The mean summer temperature is about the same as that
of Alexandria, the mean winter temperature about 10° F. below
it; the mean maximum temperatures, both daily and monthly,
are greater by 4-6° F. in spring, summer, and autumn than at
Alexandria. The mean daily minimum temperature in January
is only just above freezing-point (32-7° F.) compared with
504° F. at Alexandria, and 59-9° F. in July compared with
72-9° F. at Alexandria, showing, as might have been expected,
that the nights are much colder. The mean monthly range
of temperature is greatest in April (59° F.) and least in August
(46° F.), while the corresponding ranges at Alexandria are
42-5° F. and 18-7° F. respectively. This likewise shows that on
the whole it is hotter by day and colder at night at this station
than in the lower-lying parts.
Precipitation .—The rainfall at Nekhl is extremely small, the
mean precipitation of the wettest month (January) being only
0-3 in., and the average annual rainfall only 1-2 in., the months
from June to November being practically rainless. The mean
number of rain days recorded is 7*6, which shows a small
density of precipitation of about one-third to one-quarter of
the density at Jerusalem.
No data as regards Relative Humidity or Evaporation are
available ; this is unfortunate as the comparisons which would
have been possible between the climatic conditions of the hot
high tableland of Sinai and those of the torrid depression of the
Ghdr, the latter locality being as much below the sea-level as
the first is above, would have proved interesting.
Winds .—As regards winds only one observatioikper diem has
been made for the 5 years available, so that the results given
in the table can be accepted merely as generalizations. It
appears, however, that right through the year west winds
STRIA - T-.