Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and its exceptional wind system

Abstract

From 1973–1976, research was performed around the Sea of Galilee, aimed at examining the wind regime in the area and whether the area develops a land-sea breeze despite its particular topographical location.

The main conclusions were:

• (1) During the summer mornings a lake breeze develops, blowing towards the shores of the lake. It ceases at the peak of its development when a westerly wind, originating in the development of a breeze along the Israeli Mediterranean coast, plunges towards the lake.

• (2) Late at night, a wind flow develops from the land towards the lake, which combines with the katabatic winds that blow along the steep slopes surrounding the Kinneret.

• (3) The stations at the upper level, at a height of 400–500 m above the Kinneret, are not affected by the lake breeze during the day or by the land breeze at night.

• (4) In winter, the Kinneret lake breeze is almost as developed as in summer, because the westerly winds, originating in the Mediterranean sea breeze which hardly develops in this season, do not plunge into the Kinneret.