The Sahara has one of the cruelest climates in the world. Located in the trade winds belt, the region is has winds that are very strong and that blow all the time from the northeast. The northern slopes of the Atlas Mts. intercept most of the moisture from winds blowing inshore from the Mediterranean Sea.
Border zones on the north and south, where the desert intercepts with the steppe, receive about 10 in. of rain a year with some seasonal regularity, but over most of the region rainfall is scarce, with an average annual total of less than 5 in. rainfall is usually heavy when it occurs after long dry periods that can last for years.
"Daytime temperatures are high, averaging 86°F and over 100°F. There is a loss of heat that is rapid at night, and the everyday range can be as great as 70°F. Freezing temperatures are not unusual at night from December to February."
Where there used to be nothing but desert there is now not just grass but shrubs and acacia trees. The nomads are taking their camels to graze in areas where they’ve never been able to graze before. Satellite data shows more green on the southern edge of the Sahara. There are always winners and losers if weather patterns change. But, warmer temperatures mean that the air picks up more moisture from the oceans, which then leads to more rain. According to geological records, there have been repeated times where the Sahara was greener when temperatures were warmer than today.
Read more: Sahara: Climate | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/sahara-climate.html#ixzz2ll99daIJ
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/26/climate-change-is-making-deserts-greener.html
PHOTO: http://tourismplacesworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/sahara-desert.html
Border zones on the north and south, where the desert intercepts with the steppe, receive about 10 in. of rain a year with some seasonal regularity, but over most of the region rainfall is scarce, with an average annual total of less than 5 in. rainfall is usually heavy when it occurs after long dry periods that can last for years.
"Daytime temperatures are high, averaging 86°F and over 100°F. There is a loss of heat that is rapid at night, and the everyday range can be as great as 70°F. Freezing temperatures are not unusual at night from December to February."
Where there used to be nothing but desert there is now not just grass but shrubs and acacia trees. The nomads are taking their camels to graze in areas where they’ve never been able to graze before. Satellite data shows more green on the southern edge of the Sahara. There are always winners and losers if weather patterns change. But, warmer temperatures mean that the air picks up more moisture from the oceans, which then leads to more rain. According to geological records, there have been repeated times where the Sahara was greener when temperatures were warmer than today.
Read more: Sahara: Climate | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/sahara-climate.html#ixzz2ll99daIJ
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/08/26/climate-change-is-making-deserts-greener.html
PHOTO: http://tourismplacesworld.blogspot.com/2012/11/sahara-desert.html