Climate In the Levant three climatic zones may be distinguished: a Mediterranean, a steppe and a desert zone, each with its distinct type of vegetation. Mediterranean zone Along the coast as far S as Gaza, the Mediterranean zone has mild winters (53.6ºF, 12ºC, mean monthly average for January at Gaza) compared with the severer conditions of the interior hills (Jerusalem 44.6ºF, 7ºC, in January). But summers are everywhere hot (Gaza 78.8ºF, 26ºC in July, Jerusalem 73.4ºF, 23ºC). The prolonged snow