THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN CLIMATIC PATTERNS
East - West transect along Latitude 37° 10’ 12’’ N, which is the average latitude value for all sites.
Location |
Malaga |
Palma de Mallorca |
Rome |
Athens |
Cairo |
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Latitude |
36° 45’ N |
39° 35’ N |
41° 54’ N |
37° 58’ N |
30° 01’ N |
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|
Longitude |
04° 23’ W |
02° 39’ E |
12° 30’ E |
23° 46’ E |
31° 14’ E |
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|
Height, m ASL |
33 |
10 |
17 |
107 |
116 |
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|
January temperature |
12 |
10 |
8 |
10 |
13 |
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|
July temperature |
25 |
24 |
25 |
28 |
20 |
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|
Annual temperature range |
15 |
15 |
17 |
18 |
15 |
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|
Annual precipitation |
474 |
449 |
744 |
402 |
22 |
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|
Average monthly precipitation |
39.50 |
37.42 |
62.00 |
33.50 |
1.83 |
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|
Evidence for summer drought |
Low precipitation values mid summer, but not sufficient to cause a drought. Average precipitation values boosted by high winter rainfall. |
Very low mid summer precipitation values. Moderate winter precipitation. |
Mid summer drop in precipitation values, but only falls to 15, therefore no evidence of drought is seen |
Drop in precipitation values to 6 or 7, which does not support a summer drought. |
No precipitation mid summer. Very little annual rainfall. |
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Other variables |
Located on the stoss of the Sierra Nevada Mts., so convectional rainfall from the Atlantic is the likely cause of the high precipitation levels. |
Island status may affect climate pattern. Sheltered by the Sierra Nevada range from Atlantic rainfall. |
Stoss side of Apennine Mts., which causes convectional rainfall accounting for the high precipitation values |
Stoss side of the end of the Pindus Mts., accounting for rainfall values. |
Inland on the Nile Delta. Very close to the Sahara, which explains the climatic patterns. |
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Patterns
Generally, the East - West transect shows us that the average January temperature is relatively constant at around 10 - 13°C. The July temperature ranges along an average of about 25.5°C. The variation in geographical locations are a major flaw in this transect. Despite taking an average Latitude value, the actual latitude values range quite widely either side of this line. In addition to this, the proximity of the Sahara Desert to Tunis and Cairo make the values hard to accept as accurate. In particular, the values for Cairo are fairly suspect in comparison to the others, especially the complete lack of rainfall. Cairo’s climate is by definition that of a desert, since it receives less than 250 mm of rainfall p.a.. The region is also noted for its localised wind which can change temperature by wind chill. The data we have here is flawed from an analytical point of view, but serves well to make generalised points, namely:
a) Most locations have long, dry summers, and mild and wet winters.
b) Proximity to other feature changes climate within a localised region, e.g. Atlas Mts. Sierra Nevada Mts., and the Sahara Desert.
c) Drought may be experienced in places close to Sahara, but unlikely to be experienced elsewhere.
d) Some areas may experience semi - drought, with water shortages and restrictions on use.