LOCATION:
The largest province in Iraq by area, Al Anbar comprises the western third of this Middle Eastern country and shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

Forecast:
Blazingly hot from spring through fall, and surprisingly cool (and sometimes wet) in the winter, the skies of Al Anbar unleash a full spectrum of weather on this stark desert landscape, ranging from blinding duststorms, to deluging thunderheads and even to the occasional snowfall. Due to its position in the heart of the Middle East, the sun’s blasting heat reigns supreme as the defining characteristic of this region’s weather.

Data gathered over 18 years from a weather station based near the city of Haditha in northeastern Al Anbar reveal that the months of June through September have average daily high temperatures that eclipse the 100-degree mark. July and August, with average daily highs of 111°F each, rank as the region’s most torrid months. However, July holds the distinction of having the highest recorded temperature during the 18-year timeframe; one year the weather station recorded a temperature of 123°F (August ranks second with a slightly cooler measurement of 122°F). Meanwhile, with 179.2 days per year with temperatures of more than 90°F, Al Anbar can claim to be one of the planet’s hottest patches of real estate.

Winter brings cooler temperatures, which can get below freezing. One year in January the temperature plunged to 16°F, which is the coldest recorded temperature in the province; January is the coolest month on average, with a daily mean low temperature of 39°F. The 4 months of December-March each have days below freezing in an average year; January claims the most, with 4.5, followed by December with 4 days. Al Anbar’s seasonal transitions are abrupt—spring and fall last maybe a few weeks.

Wind ranks second in predominant weather attributes, with average speeds of 11 mph over the course of a year. July is the windiest month, having an average wind speed of 14 mph. The calmest month is November.

Inside Knowledge:
Al Anbar Province lies in the heart of the Fertile Crescent, which is a roughly parabolic arc of agricultural wealth that spans the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the northern extremity of the Persian Gulf. While most of Al Anbar is anything but fertile, eastern Al Anbar contains the Euphrates River, which is a waterway of historic proportion that provides a green ribbon of life in an otherwise barren area. Originating in the highlands of Turkey, the Euphrates defines a corridor of civilization through the Anbar, stringing together the province’s major population hubs, including Al Fallujah, Ar Ramadi (the provincial capital), Hit, Haditha, and Anah, all of which lie on the shores of this gently flowing waterway.

The Euphrates’ sister river, the Tigris, is to the east of Al Anbar; the interposed land, part of which is in Al Anbar, was formerly known as Mesopotamia. The name is derived from the Greek word mesos, meaning middle, and potamoi, meaning rivers. With the river providing water and plenty of fertile farmland, many historians consider Mesopotamia to be the “Cradle of Civilization,” pointing to the Sumer region of Mesopotamia (south of modern day Al Anbar) as the birthplace of modern civilization.

A number of achievements and distinctions continue to distinguish modern Al Anbar Province, including the construction of the Haditha Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world, and the emergence of Haditha as a hub of affluence and culture, due in great part to the construction of the hydroelectric project.

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—Weatherwise Contributing Editor ED DARACK is a freelance writer/photographer; visit his Web site at www.darack.com.

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