The Climate and Weather Conditions of the Palestine BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY The Climate and Weather Conditions of the Palestine

The Importance of the Climate It determined the succession of season, the seasonal activities and the calendar of feasts. It imposed its rhythm to collective, familial and Individual life.

Two Factors that Determine the Climate The position of the Palestine at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean where the desert and sea almost touch each other. The division of the region into North-South Lines of relief.

Major Climatic Regions The coast plain, including the plain of Esdraelon as far as Affuleh. The Cis Jordan hills, including also Carmel The Rift Valley, including the valley of Jezreel The Trans-Jordan Plateau. The Steppe- This is region dividing the cultivable area from the true deserts of the Negeb in Cis Jordan and of Eastern and Southern Trans-Jordan. The Desert.

Six Major Rules Which Determine the Differences Between the Regions Since Palestine lies at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean, rainfall tend to decrease as one goes from north to south. Rainfall tends to decrease also from west to east that is as one goes farther from the sea. Rainfall tends to increase, however, as one goes up the mountains. Rainfall tends to decrease very markedly on the lee side of the mountains that is toward east. This is particularly true of the eastern slopes of the hills of Cis-jordan leading down into the rift valley. Temperature tends to decrease with an increase in height. The temperature range, however tends to increase with the decrease of rainfall that is to say, the farther one goes from the sea and to some extent also from north to south.

Palestine Weather Cycle The dry summer from mid-June to mid September. The rainy season in the cooler half of the year. The transitional seasons.

The Summer Mid-June to Mid-September. Extraordinarily regular. The Eastern winds. The low pressure draws air in from the Mediterranean which deflects the Etesian winds towards the Palestinian coast. The dew factor- responsible for the growth of grapes during the summer.

Shittah- The Rainy Season and the Winter. It is unpredictable. The rainy season begins gradually during the second half of October. The former Rain- The thunderstorms. The cold season from about Christmas- The snow fall. The latter rain-March and April

The Transitional Seasons Between the rainy season and the summer at either end are the transitional seasons. The Sirocco - a hot dry wind from the desert. The Sirocco produces the highest temperature of the year. The Sirocco of the spring season are highly destructive of the winter vegetation.

The Climate and the People of the Bible Biblical thought is shot through and through with the conception – The climate reflects the nature of God in His dealings with man.

The Climate and the People of the Bible The uncertainty and the variety- The Israelite could never experience a sense of Stability in his daily life. The uncertainty and the variety- not a matter of chance. Biblical writers- God was in full control of the climate and the kind of the weather he gave them was part of his purposes for them. Israelites responded to natural beauty and marveled at it.