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Why are winters around the Dead Sea mild despite its desert setting?

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White salt deposits cover rocks along the shore of the Dead Sea near Masada, Israel, with green water and dramatic cloudy sky in the background. — Dead Sea Salt deposits at the Dead Sea near Masada, Israel.

Despite its location in a desert, the winters around the Dead Sea remain mild due to the lake’s extremely low elevation and its sheltered geographical position. These factors prevent freezing temperatures from occurring, with January temperatures averaging 63 °F (17 °C) at the southern end and 58 °F (14 °C) at the northern end.1