تقييم حدة الجفاف في المنطقة الشرقية من المملكة العربية السعودية

Abstract EN

The foundations and criteria for the definition of aridity and the identification of dry regions varied from one researcher to another, the objective of this study is to measure the degree of aridity in the Eastern Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and climatically classified.

The methods followed by the study are the regional, historical, descriptive analytical and inductive approaches.

The study relied on climatic data that were obtained from Meteorological Service and Environmental Protection for five meteorology stations, Qaisumah, Dhahran, Al-Ahsa, Hafr Al-Batin, and Dammam, during the period from 2000 to 2012.

Six aridity indices: Lange, de Martin, Cousin, Thornthwaite, Koppen and Wilmey were applied to monthly, seasonal and annual rainfall and temperature rates.

The results revealed that all months in the Eastern Region and all stations are classified as dry months according to the Kossin and Thornthwaite.

The results also show that the seasons were characterized by varying degrees of aridity.

With regards to seasons, the summer was the driest, followed by the autumn, while the aridity decreased during the winter and spring seasons.

The study area was also characterized by the annual aridity according to the application of the Lang, de Marton, Koppen and Wilmy.

The study recommended that the necessity of activating water-harvesting projects to make the most of varying rainfall rates, rationalize water consumption, and conduct studies concerned with the applied climate