Land-Use, Albedo and Air Temperature Changes in the Hula Valley (Israel) during 1946-2008

Abstract

Long-Term (1946-2008) record of 35,580 measurements of daily mean air temperatures in three meteorological stations (Dan, Dafna, Kfar Blum) in the Hula Valley, within the drainage basin of Lake Kinneret (Israel) was statistically evaluated. Temperature decline after the drainage of the old Lake Hula and adjacent wetlands (1958) and increase from mid 1980’s, after the implementation of the Hula Project aimed at continuous land green cover were verified. It was suggested that those regional climate changes were due to the change of Albedo levels: Lower when land was water covered and higher after regional drainage followed by a decline when vegetation cover became intensive and continuous. Decline of Albedo levels led to higher air temperature and vice versa.