and the distance from the sea. Thus, while the relative
humidity is quite high at the coastline regions (Fig. 3.5),
exceeding 80% (i.e., Al Jabal Al Akhdar), it decreases
gradually to reach less than 30% in some south-desert
regions of the country (i.e., Al Kufra), (The Project of
Mapping Natural Resources 2006).
As a result, it can be concluded that the majority of
Libyan regions have low annual precipitation (in many areas
there is no precipitation), high temperature range (annually
and monthly), and obvious variability in the relative
humidity. Consequently, these dominant climatic conditions
create soil temperature and moisture regimes distinct to these
specific regions.
As many references (Ben Mahmoud 1995; Elhawej and
Elaalem 2012) indicated that soil moisture regime associated
with the Mediterranean climate and known as Xeric is
dominant in coastline regions, where winters are cool and
moist and summers are warm and dry (Zurqani et al. 2019),
whereas Aridic or Torric soil moisture regime is dominant in
the middle and south regions. For the soil temperature
regimes, references indicated that in all northern parts of
Libya, the soil temperature regime of Thermic is dominant.
Meanwhile, the soil temperature regime of Hyperthermic is
mostly dominant in the southern parts of the country.
3.2.1.4 Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
Atmospheric pressure and winds are among the most
important climatic elements. The difference in atmospheric
pressure is also known to control the movement of the winds
from one region to another (i.e., the wind blows from higher
pressure to lower pressure). As the wind moves across the
surface of the soil, it pulls soil with it and deposits it elsewhere. Generally, Libya is influenced by high air pressure
during the winter season, where almost half the northern
region is exposed to a small band of low air pressure, while
the rest of the country is dominated by the northeast trade
winds. In the summer, as a result of the change in the low
pressure that occurs on the Sahara Desert, most of the
country falls within the influence of the northern trade winds
(Sharaf 1971; Al Hajjaji 1989).
Fig. 3.3 Average Monthly Precipitation (mm) in Libya. (Data source Fick and Hijmans 2017)
36
K. R. Ben Mahmoud and H. A. Zurqani
humidity is quite high at the coastline regions (Fig. 3.5),
exceeding 80% (i.e., Al Jabal Al Akhdar), it decreases
gradually to reach less than 30% in some south-desert
regions of the country (i.e., Al Kufra), (The Project of
Mapping Natural Resources 2006).
As a result, it can be concluded that the majority of
Libyan regions have low annual precipitation (in many areas
there is no precipitation), high temperature range (annually
and monthly), and obvious variability in the relative
humidity. Consequently, these dominant climatic conditions
create soil temperature and moisture regimes distinct to these
specific regions.
As many references (Ben Mahmoud 1995; Elhawej and
Elaalem 2012) indicated that soil moisture regime associated
with the Mediterranean climate and known as Xeric is
dominant in coastline regions, where winters are cool and
moist and summers are warm and dry (Zurqani et al. 2019),
whereas Aridic or Torric soil moisture regime is dominant in
the middle and south regions. For the soil temperature
regimes, references indicated that in all northern parts of
Libya, the soil temperature regime of Thermic is dominant.
Meanwhile, the soil temperature regime of Hyperthermic is
mostly dominant in the southern parts of the country.
3.2.1.4 Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
Atmospheric pressure and winds are among the most
important climatic elements. The difference in atmospheric
pressure is also known to control the movement of the winds
from one region to another (i.e., the wind blows from higher
pressure to lower pressure). As the wind moves across the
surface of the soil, it pulls soil with it and deposits it elsewhere. Generally, Libya is influenced by high air pressure
during the winter season, where almost half the northern
region is exposed to a small band of low air pressure, while
the rest of the country is dominated by the northeast trade
winds. In the summer, as a result of the change in the low
pressure that occurs on the Sahara Desert, most of the
country falls within the influence of the northern trade winds
(Sharaf 1971; Al Hajjaji 1989).
Fig. 3.3 Average Monthly Precipitation (mm) in Libya. (Data source Fick and Hijmans 2017)
36
K. R. Ben Mahmoud and H. A. Zurqani