The town of Petra (Arabic Al-Batr) is a UNESCO Heritage Site and a prime holiday destination in the country of Jordan. Petra, as the name implies, holds a collection of buildings carved out of rock faces on the slopes of Mount Hor in the central region of Maâan. Petra is a historical and archaeological treasure of Jordan, and one of the most visited locations in the country.
Climate
Petra shares a similar climate with the capital, Amman, which is some 230 kilometers to the north. Petra's climate is classified as a dry desert, or steppe climate, by the K¶ppen Climate Classification system, however, Petraâs geographical location is very near to an area where two or three climates of different types converge. Located at an altitude of 810 m (2,657ft) above sea level, this ancient caravan centreâs maximum temperature never rises beyond 44C.
In the period before and after summer months, which correspond to spring and autumn in the temperate regions, the occurrence of khamsin, or sandstorm, becomes quite common. This weather system is brought about by hot, dry air from the desert being drawn by low atmospheric pressure. This moving hot air eventually produces strong winds accompanied by dust clouds, rain, and sometimes, hail. At certain times, its appearance as a thick dust wall crawling from the horizon is a spectacular sight, however, one should take shelter as these storms can be discomforting and can cause injury.
Summer
Petraâs summer climate can start as early as second the half of May and last till early September. The typical summer month averages around 31C during June and July. This culminates in the month of August, when the average daily temperature reaches 34.7C, however, the maximum temperature around this area does not exceed 44C. The amount of sunshine during the month of June to July is at a maximum of 14 hours a day. Precipitation throughout the summer is non-existent, however, heat and humidity remain moderate and will continue until the month of September, when it drops to zero. Furthermore, the UV index level is at a discomforting extreme, with a value of 11 throughout the summer.
Autumn
The autumn season is a welcome relief to people living around Petra. It brings about decreasing temperatures, falling to 29C, along with the decreasing length of daytime and sunshine hours. Moreover, the UV level gradually falls to a high of 10, and continuously drops throughout the season.
By the month of October, precipitation and humidity levels are on the rise, however, daytime hours diminish further to 11 hours daily, along with the length of clear sky reduced to 10 hours.
The average temperature falls to 26C, while UV index levels plummet further to a negligible value of 7. During October, the heat and humidity discomfort is low and will continue to drop. It is during this month that the possibility of a sandstorm can occur at the earliest, but it can occur anytime until winter sets in. Thereâs also a possibility of rain and even hail at this time. There is a rain probability of one day throughout the month.
The last month of autumn brings
about further decreases in average temperature dropping to around 20C. Daylight
hours remain an average of 11 hours daily, however, there is a marked decrease
in sunshine hours to 8 hours a day, as cloudy skies become a familiar sight.
This cloudiness is due to the gradual rise in precipitation level. Despite the
increase in precipitation, the town of Petra
remains dry during the autumn season as drizzle can evaporate before it touches
the ground.
Winter
Petra enjoys a cold but dry winter climate with a mean temperature of around 14.5C, with minimum temperatures averaging at 2.5C. Winter has the least amount of sunshine hours of the year, with daily sunshine of 7.3 hours on average. The increased humidity and precipitation brings about a total of 100mm of rainfall spread throughout the season, with the probability of rain rising to 11 days during the winter season. Despite the increase in rain, Petra enjoys generally dry weather during winters.
After the winter solstice, sunshine reaches the minimum average of 10 hours a day. UV levels during this season are at a moderate value. Likewise, the heat and humidity level is virtually zero. Despite the cold weather of the winter season in Petra, as well as in other nearby Jordanian towns, thereâs still 7 to 8 hours of sunshine a day to enjoy. Except for brief periods of occasional gustiness of wind in the early morning or late afternoon, a light breeze is a common experience, especially in the high-lying localities of Maâan province.
Spring
The spring season brings a gradual increase in temperature. Daytime length, sunshine, and UV index level are also on the rise during this season. In the spring, the mean average temperature starts to climb to 18C. Daytime periods steadily increase until such a time that the days will be longer than nights once more. Reduced precipitation leads to an average total of 44 mm of rainfall, spread throughout the season, with a high probability of rain for 23 days during this season. This reduced precipitation leads to clearer skies and progression in length of sunshine hours. However, this steady rise in both daytime and sunshine periods gradually increases the UV index to a very high value of 10, and progressing to the extreme value of 11 by the end of spring.
The mean average temperature gradually increases from 18C in March, to 22C in April, and further progresses to 27C by May. However, humidity levels are roughly at zero. Sandstorms can occur during the spring months, and the sudden appearance of localised thunderstorm or rain showers is a familiar event that can happen anytime in arid places like central Jordan.