Climatic Variations In The Moisture and Instability Patterns Of The Atmospheric Boundary Layer On The East Mediterranean Coastal Plain Of Israel.

A long-term record (1964–1995) of radiosonde data observed at the Bet-Dagan aerological station of the Israel Meteorological Service was analyzed to detect possible temporal trends in moisture content and instability of the atmospheric boundary layer. Bet-Dagan is situated in the central part of the south-east Mediterranean coastal plain. During this period surface characteristics in this region have changed drastically due to changes in land use, i.e., urbanization, development of irrigated agriculture and afforestation. The analysis of the radiosonde data reveals a clearly defined, statistically significant, increasing trend in the moisture content, mainly during summer. The stability of the surface layer, characterized by the bulk Richardson Number, shows a decreasing trend since the early 1960s. Relationships between these trends, land-use modifications and possible influence of large-scale influence are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]