Climate of Mecca: Difference between revisions
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==Extreme weather events== |
==Extreme weather events== |
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Since [[Mecca]] is located in a low-lying region, it is threatened by seasonal flash floods despite the low amount of annual precipitation. There are less than 4 inches (110 mm) of rainfall during the year, mainly falling in the winter months. Temperatures are high throughout the year and in summer may reach 113 °F (45 °C).<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371782/Mecca/37822/Climate</ref> |
Since [[Mecca]] is located in a low-lying region, it is threatened by seasonal flash floods despite the low amount of annual precipitation. There are less than 4 inches (110 mm) of rainfall during the year, mainly falling in the winter months. Temperatures are high throughout the year and in summer may reach 113 °F (45 °C).<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371782/Mecca/37822/Climate</ref> Following are some extreme weather events in Mecca. |
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*In 2009, [[Makkah Province]] was badly affected when [[2009 Jeddah floods|record-breaking rainfall]] of 90 millimetres (3½ inches) hit the province causing flash floods all over the province. It was the worst flood in 27 year in [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009112655554</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 06:32, 19 November 2010
Mecca has an arid climate. Mecca retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from 17 °C at night to 25 °C in the day. Summer temperatures are considered very hot often being over 40 °C during the day dropping to 30 °C at night.[1] Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Mecca retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from 17 °C (63 °F) at midnight to 25 °C (77 °F) in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are considered very hot and break the 40 °C (104 °F) mark in the afternoon dropping to 30 °C (86 °F) in the evening. Rain usually falls in Mecca in small amounts between November and January. The rainfall, as scant as it is, also presents the threat of flooding and has been a danger since earliest times. According to Al-Kurdī, there had been 89 historic floods by 1965, including several in the Saudi period. In the last century the most severe one occurred in 1942. Since then, dams have been constructed to ameliorate the problem.
| Climate data for Mecca | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.0 (98.6) |
38.3 (100.9) |
42.0 (107.6) |
44.7 (112.5) |
49.4 (120.9) |
49.4 (120.9) |
49.8 (121.6) |
49.6 (121.3) |
49.4 (120.9) |
46.8 (116.2) |
40.8 (105.4) |
37.8 (100.0) |
49.8 (121.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.2 (86.4) |
31.4 (88.5) |
34.6 (94.3) |
38.5 (101.3) |
41.9 (107.4) |
43.7 (110.7) |
42.8 (109.0) |
42.7 (108.9) |
42.7 (108.9) |
39.9 (103.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
31.8 (89.2) |
43.7 (110.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) |
24.5 (76.1) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.8 (87.4) |
34.3 (93.7) |
35.7 (96.3) |
35.8 (96.4) |
35.6 (96.1) |
35.0 (95.0) |
32.1 (89.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
25.5 (77.9) |
30.7 (87.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
24.3 (75.7) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.3 (82.9) |
29.0 (84.2) |
29.3 (84.7) |
28.8 (83.8) |
25.8 (78.4) |
22.9 (73.2) |
20.2 (68.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
10.0 (50.0) |
13.0 (55.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.0 (71.6) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.4 (74.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
16.4 (61.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 20.6 (0.81) |
1.4 (0.06) |
6.2 (0.24) |
11.6 (0.46) |
0.6 (0.02) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.5 (0.06) |
5.6 (0.22) |
5.3 (0.21) |
14.2 (0.56) |
21.7 (0.85) |
21.4 (0.84) |
110.1 (4.33) |
| Average precipitation days | 4.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 1.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 58 | 54 | 48 | 43 | 36 | 33 | 34 | 39 | 45 | 50 | 58 | 59 | 46 |
| Source: [2] | |||||||||||||
Factors
Mecca is at an elevation of 909 ft above sea level, and approximately 80 km inland from the Red Sea.[3] Flash floods are common during winter season even though the amount of precipation is low. Since Mecca is located in a desert, dust storms are common in the city.
- Shamal winds occur in Mecca mostly during summer months, they are very dusty and remain at peak in the morning but decreases at night. These winds also occur in winter but not often.[4]
Extreme weather events
Since Mecca is located in a low-lying region, it is threatened by seasonal flash floods despite the low amount of annual precipitation. There are less than 4 inches (110 mm) of rainfall during the year, mainly falling in the winter months. Temperatures are high throughout the year and in summer may reach 113 °F (45 °C).[5] Following are some extreme weather events in Mecca.
- In 2009, Makkah Province was badly affected when record-breaking rainfall of 90 millimetres (3½ inches) hit the province causing flash floods all over the province. It was the worst flood in 27 year in Saudi Arabia.[6]
References
- ^ http://thebahrainpropertysite.com/mecca-weather.html
- ^ "Weather averages for Mecca". PME. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- ^ http://thebahrainpropertysite.com/mecca-weather.html
- ^ http://books.google.ca/books?id=2cmmgwUJH98C&pg=PA31&vq=shamal&dq=The+Gulf+War+and+the+Environment&source=gbs_search_s&cad=0
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371782/Mecca/37822/Climate
- ^ http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009112655554