The influence of the special shape of the dead-sea and its environment on the local wind system

Abstract

This paper studied the wind regime of the Dead-Sea and complements a former article which delt only with the wind system of the north-west section of this lake. Because of the special structure of the Jordan Rift Valley and because of the special shape of the Dead-Sea, which is split into two unequal sections of different depth, a wind system develops which is of an exeptional feature. During summer a lake breeze develops which in the northern basin causes southerly winds to blow towards a thermal depression located in the central Jordan Valley. In the southern basin the lake breeze has a northern component. Because of slope heating on the western side of the lake and because of a secondary thermal depression west of Mizpe-Shalem A, easterly winds blow on a higher level above the southerly ones. This wind system collapses in the afternoon when the Mediterranean-Sea breeze descends towards the Dead-Sea as strong north-westerly winds and hot because of adiabatic heating. In winter the situation changes because the whole region is under the influence of pressure systems which move across Israel or adjacent areas which prevent or restrict the development of the Dead-Sea breeze or this of the Mediterranean-Sea. © 1977 Springer-Verlag.