Climate – Mammon

Climate

Weather on Mammon varies highly, depending on the geographical location. In general, temperatures range higher over most of the planet than on Earth. The planet’s inclination toward its ecliptic plane of just five degrees and the low eccentricity of its orbit make seasonal temperature variations almost nonexistent. The planet spins on its axis once every 22 hours, a fact that mitigates daily variations in temperature. As on Earth, milder climates occur near the ocean’s shores. The planet’s Great Khalid desert records the highest daily temperatures of any Human planet. Mid-day extremes range up to 80° C., and regularly reach over 60°. Relative humidity usually measures a parching fraction of one percent. In such conditions, an unprotected Human being would perish in less than five minutes!

The planet’s atmospheric pressure, the lowest among the Human colonies, averages less than 34 percent of Earth’s at mean sea level. The atmosphere would be unbreathable, were it not for its high oxygen concentration more than twice that found in Earth’s air. Because atmospheric pressure is low, winds of high velocity have less destructive force than on other planets. Ocean storms tend to be mild, yet winds on the Great Khalid regularly reach 400 kilometers per hour, driving tremendous sandstorms more dangerous than hurricanes.