CLIMATE.
The climate of the Sudan naturally varies over such a huge territory. Roughly speaking, it may be said that from the latitude of about Shendi northwards the climate is dry throughout the year. South of this, the rains in the summer, increasing in intensity towards the south, towards the sea, and towards the Abyssinian hills, cause a damp climate for two or three months, the remaining months being quite dry.
Between Halfa and Dongola there are a few rainy days in the winter, and, very exceptionally, some torrential rains in the summer. At Suakin heavy rains occur at intervals from August to January, with occasional rainfalls during the spring. The Khor Baraka flood may be expected at Tokar about the 15th August, and the Gash flood at Kassala during the first week of July.
The rainy season proper, on the Upper Blue Nile, Atbara, and in Abyssinia commences about the middle or end of May, the rains lasting till the middle of September; light rains in January and February; heavy rains sometimes in October and November.
The rainy season at Khartoum and in the “Bayuda desert” lasts nominally from the middle of June to the end of September, but during this period rain rarely falls on more than 15 days. In the Bahr El Ghazal the rains last from April till October, and in Southern Kordofan and Darfur from June to October.
Heavy rains occur in addition in the valley of the Upper White Nile from September to November; also numerous thunderstorms, especially in the hilly region round Rejaf and the Sudd district to the north of it.
On the Sobat, rains last from May to end of October.
The more unhealthy parts, in each case only during the period immediately succeeding the rains or the Nile flood, are, in the order of the evil, the Bahr El Ghazal, the Upper White Nile, the Upper Blue Nile, Kordofan, Kassala, and Suakin. During the rest of the year the climate is dry and healthy throughout. The temperature is, in the summer, undoubtedly hot, the thermometer having on rare occasions risen to as much as 126°; but on the other hand, except in the rainy season, the nights are always cool and refreshing.
During the rest of the year, the temperature naturally varies considerably; but it may be said that the winter is bright and invigorating throughout, and not too hot. There are even unpleasantly cold winds at times.
Except during the rainy season, the prevailing winds are, in the valley of the Nile, always from a northerly direction. In other parts, the wind varies according to season, but all get their share of the north wind.
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES (KHARTOUM), 1902 and 1903.
| Month. | Temperature, Fahrenheit. | Prevailing wind. | Rain, inches.[15] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum. | Minimum. | Mean. | ||||||||||||
| Highest. | Lowest. | Highest. | Lowest. | |||||||||||
| 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | 1902. | 1903. | |
| January | 97·7 | 91·4 | 70·7 | 68·9 | 68·9 | 62·6 | 48·2 | 42·8 | 61·2 | 65·5 | N. | N. | — | — |
| February | 105·8 | 100·4 | 88·7 | 71·6 | 74·3 | 64·4 | 59·0 | 48·2 | 70·8 | 67·1 | N.E. | N. | — | — |
| March | 107·6 | 104·0 | 88·7 | 81·5 | 79·7 | 68·9 | 57·2 | 55·4 | 84·2 | 74·3 | N. | N. | — | — |
| April | 110·3 | 113·0 | 98·6 | 96·8 | 82·4 | 79·7 | 65·3 | 61·7 | 78·8 | 86·4 | N. | N. | — | — |
| May | 113·9 | 109·4 | 102·2 | 104·0 | 85·1 | 82·4 | 73·4 | 65·3 | 93·0 | 90·0 | N.W. | S. | — | 1·0 |
| June | 113·0 | 112·1 | 99·5 | 103·1 | 86·0 | 82·4 | 72·5 | 68·9 | 96·5 | 91·4 | W. | S. | — | ·7 |
| July | 106·7 | 105·8 | 86·0 | 87·8 | 80·6 | 81·5 | 66·2 | 71·6 | 83·0 | 77·9 | S. | S. | 4·962 | ·5 |
| August | 108·5 | 104·9 | 92·3 | 90·5 | 81·5 | 83·3 | 69·8 | 64·4 | 87·5 | 87·8 | S. | S.S.W. | ·197 | ·6 |
| September | 108·5 | 105·8 | 96·8 | 96·8 | 80·6 | 78·8 | 69·8 | 60·8 | 85·0 | 86·1 | S. | S.S.W. | ·070 | — |
| October | 106·7 | 106·7 | 97·7 | 95·0 | 83·3 | 78·8 | 61·7 | 67·1 | 88·9 | 86·9 | N. | N. | ·320 | — |
| November | 104·9 | 105·8 | 89·6 | 93·2 | 80·6 | 78·8 | 54·5 | 64·4 | 81·7 | 85·5 | N.E. | N.N.E. | — | — |
| December | 91·4 | 101·3 | 77·0 | 86·9 | 69·8 | 69·8 | 49·1 | 56·3 | 74·7 | 78·6 | N. | N.N.E. | — | — |
GAME.
The efforts of the Government are directed towards preserving the numerous species of game of all sorts which abound in the Sudan, and to preventing them being exploited wholesale for commercial purposes.
Thus the Government, in the matter of ivory and feathers, has laid down stringent regulations which control the killing of elephants and ostriches. By imposing heavy duties and strictly limiting the numbers it is keeping within reasonable limits the export of live animals for menageries, etc., in Europe; and traffic in skins, trophies, etc., of wild animals is strictly prohibited.
As regards the shooting of game for sport, a sanctuary and game reserve have been instituted, and the licence with which a sportsman has to provide himself is expensive and only covers the shooting of a limited number of each species, some species being tabooed altogether. (For full details of the Game Laws, vide Ordinance for Preservation of Wild Animals, etc., 1903, and for practical hints, etc., re shooting, see books mentioned on [p. 213.])