RAMALLAH, March 22, 2010 (WAFA)- The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestinian Meteorological Directorate said in a Press Release on the Occasion of the World Meteorological Day, the greatest amount of rainfall was in Jenin and the least was in Jericho.
The press release focuses on the current status of the meteorological conditions in the Palestinian Territory during the year 2009 as follows:
The amount of rainfall ranged between 593.1 mm in Jenin Station and 115.7 mm in Jericho during the year 2009. The time series data indicate that the annual mean rainfall over the period 1973- 2009 was between 48.7 mm in Jericho Station in 1999, and 942.7 mm in Nablus Station in 2003.
The data of 2009 indicated that the lowest value for the monthly mean maximum air temperature as 12.2° C in Hebron Station in January, while the highest value for the monthly mean maximum air temperature was 39.8° C in Jericho Station in July.
Time series data indicated that the annual mean of minimum air temperature over the period 1975-1995 was between 11.2° C in Hebron Station and 15.7 in Jericho Station. The annual mean of minimum air temperature ranges between 12.8° C in Hebron Station and 18.3 in Kardala (Tubas Governorate ) Station in 2009.
The data indicated that the annual mean relative humidity in 2009 was between 50% in Jericho Station and 73% in Ramallah Station. The data of 2009 indicated that the annual mean relative humidity decreased in June to 40% in Jericho Station, and increased in October to 83% in Ramallah Station.
The data indicated that the annual mean evaporation in 2009 was between 1,767.7 mm in Nablus Station and 2,223.3 mm in Jericho Station. Time series data indicated that Tulkarm Station had the lowest annual mean of evaporation over the period 1973-1984 as it approached 1,633 mm, while Jericho Station had the highest annual mean of evaporation as it approached 2,342 mm for the same period.
The data of 2009 indicated that the highest duration mean of sunshine was 12.4 hour/day in Ramallah Station in June, and the lowest duration mean of sunshine was 4.6 hour/day in Ramallah Station in December.
It is worth to mention that Palestine is located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea and characterized by the diversity of its climatic Territory despite its small size, it is affiliated to the Mediterranean region, moderate, and the tropical climate and desert climate and semi-desert.
The Palestinian Territory climate is affected by three factors:
a) The mountain range extending from the North to the South and parallel to the coast;
b) The Sinai and North African Desert;
c) The Jordinian-Syrian Desert
The weather in the Palestinian Territory classified into 3 types:
1. Mediterranean Sea weather: The annual average temperature is about 22° C, and the annual average rainfall is 400-500 ml.
2. Semi-desert weather: The annual average temperature is about 18° C, and the annual average rainfall is 200-350 ml.
3. Desert weather: The annual average temperature is about 22o C, and the annual average rainfall is about 200 ml.
Each year, on March 23, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System. This year, the theme is “60 years of service for your safety and well-being”.
In Palestine, like the rest of the world, are celebrating this day by those working in the field of meteorology and mainly by the Palestinian Meteorological Directorate which is established since 1958 with a limited number of meteorological stations, and in mid-1998, the Palestinian Meteorological Directorate issue daily meteorological bulletins based on its information and their own capacities, during the years 1998 and 1999, the Palestinian Meteorological directorate become a member as observers of the World Meteorological Organization and a member in the Arab Organization of Meteorology in the League of Arab States.
