Ramallah – Ma’an – A low pressure system from Cyprus that picked up across the Mediterranean hit the West Bank municipality of Tulkarem with a remarkable 130mm.

The first four months of winter in 2008 saw only 143.7mm, on average, fall on all parts of the West Bank, though heavy rains in March saw the northern districts almost reach the annual average of 434mm/year.

A similar pattern has emerged already this year, with the lowest recorded rainfall so far in As-Samu, with only 2mm of rain.

General Director of the Palestinian Meteorological Department Yousif Abu As’ad said his team of engineers were putting together detailed reports on local rainfall for farmers to reference in the coming years.

The expert said the impressive start to the rainy season was a good sign for winter crops, fruit trees and the underground water storage, and said chances were good this winter would see more than average rainfall.

Information collected so far for some cities around the West Bank are:

(city / total rainfall in mm / average rate of rainfall mm per hour / percentage of expected total)

Jerusalem / 31.0 / 624.3 / 5.0

Tulkarem / 209.5 / 602.4 / 34.8

Nablus / 110.9 / 660.1 / 16.8

Hebron / 25.4 / 595.9 / 4.3

Jenin / 135.0 / 468.2 / 28.8

Ramallah / 75.9 / 615.2 / 12.3

Bethlehem / 32.8 / 518.4 / 6.3

Jericho / 9.6 / 166.0 / 5.8