Most arid climate in your state/country (average, temperature, 2014)

[grega94]

What is the most arid climate in your state/province/region/country

"To determine whether a location has an arid climate, the precipitation threshold is determined. The precipitation threshold (in millimetres) involves first multiplying the average annual temperature in °C by 20, then adding 280 if 70% or more of the total precipitation is in the high-sun half of the year (April through September in the Northern Hemisphere, or October through March in the Southern), or 140 if 30%–70% of the total precipitation is received during the applicable period, or 0 if less than 30% of the total precipitation is so received. If the area's annual precipitation is less than half the threshold, it is classified as a BW (desert climate)." "If the area's annual precipitation is less than the threshold but more than half the threshold, it is classified as a BS (steppe climate)."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_climate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate

On top of that in order to compare the aridity from one place to another divide your precipitation by the threshold.

So the driest spot in Washington (the state I live in) is the Hanford Site.

annual mean temp = 11.7C (53F)
annual precip = 156mm (6.14in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 34.9%
threshold = ((11.7 * 20) + 140) = 374
aridity = 156/374 = 0.42

Driest spot in the US is Death Valley, CA.

annual mean temp = 25.1C (77.2F)
annual precip = 50.8mm (2.00in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 32.3%
threshold = ((25.1 * 20) + 140) = 642
aridity = 50.8/642 = 0.08

Also just for fun the wettest spot in Washington is Amanda Park, WA.

annual mean temp = 10.55C (51F)
annual precip = 3,283.7mm (129.28in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 24%
threshold = (10.55 * 20) = 211
aridity = 3,283.7/211 = 15.56

However the least arid place in Washington is Paradise, WA.

annual mean temp = 3.65C (39F)
annual precip = 3,004.6mm (118.3in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 23%
threshold = (3.65 * 20) = 73
aridity = 3,004.6/73 = 41.16

[lommaren]

Östergarnholm (an islet off the west coast)

382.7 mm
7.0C yearly mean (1961-90)
Threshold 280 mm
382.7/280 = 1.366

[Steelernation71]

For New York State:

Chazy
Precipitation: 28.83"
Aridity: 2.63

Peru
Precipitation: 29.71"
Aridity: 2.65

Dansville
Precipitation: 30.34"
Aridity: 2.37

Brockport
Precipitation: 30.52"
Aridity: 2.47

Penn Yann
Precipitation: 31.11"
Aridity: 2.46

Looks like Chazy (in the far northeast near Vermont) is the driest but Dansville (south-central) is the most "arid". I may have missed some drier or more arid stations.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Driest place in Arizona is Yuma, receives 3.4"/85mm of annual rain (no dry season thanks to summer monsoon) with a mean temp of 75.74°F/24.3°C

Aridity Index= 0.136

Phoenix aridity Index is 0.330

[grega94]

Originally Posted by grega94

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_climate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate

On top of that in order to compare the aridity from one place to another divide your precipitation by the threshold.

So the driest spot in Washington (the state I live in) is the Hanford Site.

annual mean temp = 11.7C (53F)
annual precip = 156mm (6.14in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 34.9%
threshold = ((11.7 * 20) + 140) = 374
aridity = 156/374 = 0.42

Also just for fun the wettest spot in Washington is Amanda Park, WA.

annual mean temp = 10.55C (51F)
annual precip = 3,283.7mm (129.28in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 24%
threshold = (10.55 * 20) = 211
aridity = 3,283.7/211 = 15.56

However the least arid place in Washington is Paradise, WA.

annual mean temp = 3.65C (39F)
annual precip = 3,004.6mm (118.3in)
% of precip in high-sun half = 23%
threshold = (3.65 * 20) = 73
aridity = 3,004.6/73 = 41.16

For comparison Seattle

mean temp = 11.45C (53F)
precip = 952.2mm (37.49in)
% in high-sun half = 25%
threshold = (11.45 *20) = 229
aridity = 952.2/229 = 4.16

The driest place in western WA is Sequim, WA.

mean temp = 9.1C (48F)
precip = 405.9mm (15.98in)
% in high-sun half = 32%
threshold = ((9.1 * 20) + 140) = 322
aridity = 405.9/322 = 1.26

[ase42dv]

In the Valencian Community somewhere between Alicante and Elche but those places don't have an official station so i'll use the one from Alicante (BSh climate).



This is a landscape close to the city of Alicante. The city gets in average 277mm of rain per year (10.9 inches) but many years they got under 200mm. In 2014 they just got 114mm (4.5 in)

In Spain and Europe is Almería, more specifically the zone of Cabo de Gata. Which got in average 156mm (6.14in) of rain per year according to their "Faro" observatory (source: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/f...19&orden=68481) and the Spanish met agency AEMET puts the zone under a BWh climate zone: http://www.aemet.es/documentos/es/di...gico/Atlas.pdf

[grega94]

One of the most arid areas in Europe (besides Spain) would be in southern Russia and western Kazakhstan.

Atyrau, Kazakhstan

mean temp = 9.9C (50F)
precip = 176mm (6.93in)
% in high-sun half = 49%
threshold = ((9.9 * 20) + 140) = 338
aridity = 176/338 = 0.52

Astrakhan, Russia
mean temp = 10.5C (51F)
precip = 234mm (9.21in)
% in high-sun half = 59%
threshold = ((10.5 * 20) + 140) = 350
aridity = 234/350 = 0.67

Derbent, Russia
mean temp = 13.2C (56F)
precip = 256.5mm (10.10in)
% in high-sun half = 47%
threshold = ((13.2 * 20) + 140) = 404
aridity = 256.5/404 = 0.63

Depending on your definition Baku could be considered in Europe.

mean temp 15.1C (59F)
precip = 210mm (8.27in)
% in high-sun half = 32%
threshold = ((15.1 * 20) + 140) = 442
aridity = 210/442 = 0.48

for some reason it says on wiki that Baku is semi-arid, but it's clearly Bwk and almost Bwh

[grega94]

Originally Posted by Junter

In the Valencian Community somewhere between Alicante and Elche but those places don't have an official station so i'll use the one from Alicante (BSh climate).



This is a landscape close to the city of Alicante. The city gets in average 277mm of rain per year (10.9 inches) but many years they got under 200mm. In 2014 they just got 114mm (4.5 in)

In Spain and Europe is Almería, more specifically the zone of Cabo de Gata. Which got in average 156mm (6.14in) of rain per year according to their "Faro" observatory (source: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/f...19&orden=68481) and the Spanish met agency AEMET puts the zone under a BWh climate zone: http://www.aemet.es/documentos/es/di...gico/Atlas.pdf

Almeria, Spain

mean temp = 19.1C (66F)
precip = 200mm (7.87in)
% in high-sun half = 25%
threshold = (19.1 * 20) = 382
aridity = 200/382 = 0.52356

Atyrau is more arid at 0.52071

however if almeria had 30% rain fall in the high-sun half it would have an aridity of 0.38

[srfoskey]

It's probably Guymon, OK.
mean temp = 13.7C
precip = 531 mm
% in high sun half = 74%
threshold = ((13.7*20)+280
aridity = 531/553 = 0.96

[ase42dv]

Originally Posted by grega94

Almeria, Spain

mean temp = 19.1C (66F)
precip = 200mm (7.87in)
% in high-sun half = 25%
threshold = (19.1 * 20) = 382
aridity = 200/382 = 0.52356

Atyrau is more arid at 0.52071

however if almeria had 30% rain fall in the high-sun half it would have an aridity of 0.38

But I don't know if Atyrau is Europe or Asia. I was talking about the continental Europe + European islands (including UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Crete, Sicily, Balearic, etc) in that case it is the most arid.



Btw Cabo de Gata has 156mm (source 1 from my other post), that's less than Almeria (200mm) and Atyrau (176mm) and I see that both Almeria and Atyrau are 0.52, just a difference on the 3rd decimal.