Seasonal Fluctuations of Monthly Mean Sea Level on the Coast of the Eastern Mediterranean

Ten-year averages for monthly mean sea levels have been calculated for Ashdod and Haifa. Their graph shows a major minimum in April, a major maximum in July/August, a minor minimum in October and a minor maximum in December, the range between extremes being 21 cm. The main causes for these fluctuations are to be found in barometric pressure variations in the Eastern Mediterranean, in thermal expansion of the sea, and in storm surges. The curve resulting from a quantitative evaluation of these effects is similar in rhythm and magnitude to the graph of the observed values