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Lesson 24: Geography Study Concerning the ScripturesThe Hydrology of the Holy Land, The Climate in the Promised LandClimate in the Promised Land
The Promised Land, is situated between 29 and 33 degrees north latitude (Milton is about 30.6).
It is dominated by prevailing westerly (i.e., oceanic) winds, has a climate marked by two sharply divided and well defined seasons: a hot-dry period (summer), which runs approximately from mid-June to mid-September; a warm wet period (winter), which extends between October and mid-April.
With its sea breezes, desert winds, semi-desert terrain, maximum of solar radiation during most of the year, seasonal variations, temperatures and relative humidity, the Palestinian climates have close analogies with certain parts of California.
Tel Aviv Jerusalem Jericho
Mean Temp 55 47 57 Coldest Month January
Mean Temp 81 75 88 Warmest Month August
Maximum Temp 115 107 120 Minimum Temp 37 26 36
Precipitation 1.7 1.3 .6 April-October
Precipitation 15.3 12.3 3.8 December-Feb
Precipitation 20.8 15.9 5.0 Annual
Average Relative 79% 69% 54% Humidity
The word that describes Palestine’s summer season is stability.
During summer, the jet stream (which allows for the depression and convection of air masses and produces storms) has been forced northward to the vicinity of the Alps by the equatorial movement of the sun toward the northern hemisphere.
Because of the relocation of the jet stream a thermal barrier is created that produces uniformly clear daylight conditions and prevents the formation of rain clouds.
So rain clouds in the summer time are of such a rarity that Samuel could say in:
1 Samuel 12:16-18, Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
At Samuel’s word, God sent thunder and rain, at a season of the year when, in that country, the like was not seen.
This was to convince them they had done wickedly in asking a king; not only by its coming at an unusual time, in wheat harvest, and on a clear day, but by the prophet’s giving notice of it before.
God used Samuel as a weather forecaster to show the people that their wickedness was great in desiring a king.
He showed their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather than God, or Samuel through prayer, promising themselves more from an arm of flesh, than from the arm of God, or from the power of prayer.
So a storm in summer is most unexpected.
That means the summer season features consistently fine weather, regular westerly breezes, daytime heat, and almost complete drought.
But God does send refreshment even in such drought for the summer air masses, slightly cooled and moistened as they pass over the Mediterranean, condense to form the dew, which nourishes summer growth.
The coastal plain south of Gaza, the central Jezreel valley, the heights of Mt. Carmel, and the western Negeb all experience about 250 dew nights annually.
The winter season, October to mid-April, is characterized by instability due to three dominant high pressure currents.
One is called the Asian high, a direct flow of polar air of high pressure and strikes Israel from the east with a blast of freezing air and frost.
The second high is the Balkan high which is responsible for snowfall in Israel.
Elevations more than 2500 feet usually receive a moderate amount of snow every year.
It snows two years out of three in Jerusalem and Mt. Hermon receives most of its precipitation in the form of snow.
Thirdly there develops a somewhat less intense Libyan high that, in the face of a deep Mediterranean depression, can be attracted into the Negeb, bringing dust storms that can turn into rain.
The winter season, then corresponded to the season of rain which included both the early and latter rain.
The former rains, normally deposited throughout October, gently soaked the ground and prepared it for plowing and planting.
The days of heaviest rainfall coincided with the period of coldest weather in December through February and precipitation might include snow and hail in those months.
Ezra 10:9, Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Amos 4:6-7, And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
Generally speaking, precipitation increases as one proceeds north.
Elat on the Red Sea receives 1 inch or less annually,
Beersheba in the Negeb gets about 8 inches,
Nazareth in the lower Galilean hills receives about 27 inches, and Mt. Hermon receives nearly 60 inches of precipitation annually.
Between the seasons, one between April and early June and another between mid Sept and mid to late October a hot sweltering air mass from the Arabian desert reaches Israel.
It is known today as the sirocco and produces torrid heat and parched dryness.
It is similar to the Santa Ana winds of California.
Known in the Bible as an east wind or a south wind, that wind condition sometimes persists for more than a week, withering delicate vegetation and causing irritation to men and beasts..
Gen 41:6, And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Exodus 10:13, And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
Psalm 48:7, Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
Luke 12:54-56, And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
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