Why in News?
The story of parting the Red Sea for the Hebrews to escape from Egypt is seen as a miracle in the Book of Exodus (The Book of Exodus is the second religious book of the Bible).
But some researchers have took this story in a different way by explaining using some meteorological phenomenons.
What are the Recent Meteorological Hypotheses Related to Parting of the Red Sea
The researchers proposes 4 potential meteorological phenomena that could have temporarily parted the waters of the Red Sea:
| Medicane | These hurricane-like storms in the Mediterranean can cause extreme negative storm surges, pushing coastal waters back and exposing landmasses. The researchers note Hurricane Irma’s effect on Florida’s coastline as a similar example. |
| Wind Setdown | Wind setdown refers to the phenomenon where a persistent and strong wind blowing across the surface of a body of water can temporarily lower the water level in a specific area. Sustained high-speed winds could temporarily expose raised reefs in the Gulf of Suez, facilitating a passage. The Bible mentions an “east wind” during the Exodus, which aligns with this phenomenon. |
| Tidal Resonance: | Tidal resonance occurs when the amount of time it takes a large wave to travel from the mouth of a bay to the far shore and back to the mouth is the same, or nearly the same, as the time between the high and low tides When external forces like strong winds coincide with a location’s natural tidal patterns, it can result in unusually low tides and expose large areas of seabed. The Bay of Fundy on the US-Canada border in the North Atlantic is a prominent example of this phenomenon. |
| Rossby Waves: | About Rossby waves, also known as planetary wave. They are large-scale atmospheric waves that are primarily responsible for the west-to-east movement of weather systems in the mid-latitudes. Named after the meteorologist Carl-Gustaf Rossby, He first identified and explained their existence. Their occurrence in the Red Sea could have temporarily created a shallow or dry pathway for the Israelites. |