Wadi

Wadi (Arabic: وادي‎"wādī) "Vadi" (Hebrew: ואדי‎ "vādī)" is the Arabic and Hebrew term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a dry (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.

Etymology

The term wādī is very widely found in Arabic toponyms.

Some Spanish toponyms are derived from Andalusian Arabic where wādī was used to mean a permanent river, for example: Guadalcanal from wādī al-Qanal = "river of refreshment stalls", Guadalajara from wādī al-hidjārah = "river of stones", or Guadalquivir from al-wādī al-kabīr = "the great river". Seasonal streams, frequent in south-east Spain, are called ramblas instead.

In the Maghreb, the term wadi (wad in Maghrebi Arabic, sometimes transcribed Oued) is applied to all rivers including regular ones.

General morphology and processes

Wadis are located on the gently sloping, nearly flat parts of deserts; commonly they begin on the distal portions of fans and extend to inland sabkhas or playas. In basin and range topography, wadis trend along basin axes at the terminus of fans. Permanent channels do not exist, due to lack of continual water flow. Wadi show braided stream patterns because of the deficiency of water and the abundance of sediments. Water percolates down into the stream bed causing abrupt loss in energy and resulting vast deposition. Wadis may develop dams of sediment which results in change of stream patterns in the next flash flood. :)

Rabigh

Rabigh (Arabic: رابغ‎) is an ancient town on the western coast of Saudi Arabia, along the Red Sea in the Makkah Region. It was called "al-Johfa" or al-Juhfah until the early years of the 17th century. In some ancient stories, the town had been completely destroyed by sea water, and when it was rebuilt it was renamed as "Rabigh".

Geography and Climate

Rabigh is located on the east coast of the Red Sea, north of the equator between latitudes 22/23 on the Tropic of Cancer. Thus, it experiences extreme heat in summer. The temperature rises somewhat in winter as well. The temperatures begin to rise in month of April & reach maximum between July to September often reaching beyond 45 degrees Celsius. The climate is characterized by high relative humidity, especially in the summer. It also experiences short sudden rain showers due to extreme humidity.

Wadi Rabigh

Wadi Rabigh is an important historical wadi situated inland of the town of Rabigh, extending along the border of the al-Madinah and Makkah Regions of Saudi Arabia.