Spatiotemporal dry and wet spell duration distributions in southwestern Saudi Arabia

Alyamani M., Sen Z.

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY, vol.57, pp.165-179, 1997 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 57
  • Publication Date: 1997
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/bf00863611
  • Journal Name: THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.165-179
  • Istanbul Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Regional dry and wet spell durations within a 15 year period are mapped for the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia for summer and winter. If the number of spells is plotted versus duration a straight-line results on semi-logarithmic paper for most stations. However, a few stations exhibit two or three different slopes showing the effect of local climate. Simple regression equations are proposed for the dry or wet spell duration at any station allowing the mapping of regional variation for the entire study area. Such maps are useful tools in the assessment of the spatial and/or temporal wet and dry period duration for the area between stations. Similar maps could be developed for other parts of the world.