Features of the climate of Crimea

It is difficult to find another such place on earth where zones with different climatic conditions coexist in a limited area, as in the Crimea. The geographical position and the nature of the landscape make the climate of the peninsula peculiar and unique.

Although 3 climatic zones can be distinguished on the map of Crimea, and its climate is distinguished by its diversity, it also has common features characteristic of all regions, features that are manifested in several factors.

• High temperature conditions... Crimea is a peninsula located in the southern latitudes, and this explains the fact that winters are not particularly frosty here. In the central part of the peninsula, winter temperatures are characterized by minus indicators, but they are not as low as at the corresponding latitude of mainland Russia. Regions along the coast have positive averages in winter.
• Seasonal deviation... This is manifested in the fact that the weather conditions in spring and autumn do not correspond to recognized standards. Crimean autumn is characterized by warm weather and does not last long. Spring, on the other hand, is distinguished by its length and rather cool weather.
• In the fall, warm air is maintained and maintained thanks to the sea that has warmed up over the summer. During the winter, the sea cools down and, conversely, prevents the rapid heating of the air on the peninsula.
• Arid climate. This also applies to the entire Crimean territory. Average annual rates are never higher than 600mm for precipitation including rain and snow. The northern mountain slopes are some exception, they are accessible to the northerly winds that bring rains.But the climate here does not differ in humidity: only there is no drought here.
• Atmospheric pressure is also relatively the same., which ranges from 758 mm in summer to 765 mm in winter.
• Direction of the wind... It is also not very diverse for the whole Crimea and depends on the geographical location, the type of landscape and nature in general.

Crimean climatic zones and zones are located in accordance with the nature and characteristics of the territory, and are not associated with the geographical location of a particular region. The climate of the peninsula can be represented by three climatic zones.

The steppe plain regions are located in the zone of moderate continental climate. The region is characterized by a sultry summer with little rainfall. Summer rains are very rare. The total precipitation for the year is extremely small - within 300-400 mm. In summer, there is a rather high above zero temperature, in July it can average + 21.23 ° C.

The climate of the steppe zone is divided into 3 subzones, slightly different from each other.

• Northern and central territories of the peninsula - moderately warm climate with dry and moderately hot summers.
• Subzone of the Sevastopol region and forest-steppe regions. It is not too hot here in summer, and the drought is never severe.
• Feodosia and moderately warm steppe regions characterized by very dry and sultry summers.

This zone, in turn, is divided into subzones on a vertical basis. The foothills have the features of the climate of the adjacent climatic zones - steppe or south coast.

The zone at an altitude of 400-500 m above sea level is the lower forest mountainous zone, where a climate with mild or very warm winters prevails. The humidity here is very high, heavy rainfall is quite frequent, and in the spring and autumn months it rains regularly.

In the middle zone, at an altitude of 500 to 700 m, the mountain-forest climate is characterized by insufficient humidity and mild to moderately mild winters. In the upper part of the mountains above 700 m, the climate is humid and moderately warm, and in the higher highlands it is already cooler and more humid.

This climatic zone is located in the subtropical zone, the climate here is Mediterranean, in some areas - subtropical, which allows many plants to grow in the tropics and subtropics.

Summers are hot, especially August, the humidity is low, but it rains from time to time. Coastal fogs are common, frequent and common. The average July temperature is around + 23.25 ° C.

Let's consider how climatic indicators change in Crimea in different months of the year.

• January. The month is characterized by rather cool weather, although snow and freezing temperatures are very rare. The fallen snow does not lie for a long time and immediately melts under the influence of warm air. The average temperature in the belts looks like this: on the coast +4, in the central steppe zone about –3 ° C, in the mountainous areas about 0.
• February. Crimean February is the coldest month of winter. Snow caps appear on the tops of the mountains, and the slopes are covered with snow. The sea has cooled down and may even freeze slightly. It often storms.During the day, the temperature is often below 0 ° C, but does not drop below -5. On average, the February temperature is expressed in the following figures: on the southern coast +3, in the mountainous zone –1, in the steppe regions –4 degrees Celsius.
• March. The first spring month is characterized by a sudden warming, the daytime air temperature can reach +20, but at night the weather is still cold. At this time, the average temperature in the southern region reaches +6, in the central steppe zone +1, in the mountainous +3 degrees. The time is coming for the awakening of nature.
• April... Nature is actively reviving under the influence of sea breezes. The warm sun warms up the earth well, and the average temperatures rise. In the south in April it is already +11, in the mountains and on flat areas up to + 9 ° C.
• May. The vegetation begins to bloom violently. The sea water temperature can reach summer temperatures. The swimming season is often already open in the second half of May. The temperature regime on the coast and in the central zone reaches an average of +16, and in the mountains + 14 ° C.
• June. The active holiday season begins in the first summer month. The average monthly temperature is quite conducive to this: in the south, in the steppe region, it rises to +20, in mountainous regions to + 18 ° C.
• July. This month is rightfully considered the most favorable for rest: it is quite warm, but there is no scorching heat. Average temperatures are expressed in numbers: on the coast up to +24, in the mountains +21, in the steppes - up to + 23 ° C.
• August. The air gets extremely hot and becomes heavy and thick. The daytime temperature rises to +35, and the heat does not subside even at night. Average temperatures at this time: in the south +24, in the steppes +22, in the mountains + 20 ° C.
• September. The heat is replaced by favorable mild weather, and the velvet season begins. The nights are getting cooler, but you can still swim during the day. Average temperatures: on the seashore another +20, in the mountainous and steppe zones + 16 ° C.
• October... The earth is still warm, but the air becomes cooler and cooler during the day. The sea gradually cools down and the swimming season ends. The temperature regime is kept within +15 on the southern coast, + 10 ° C in the steppe and in the mountains.
• November. The weather is characterized by sharp temperature changes: + 20 can change by + 10 ° C. Average temperatures are also dropping: +10 on the coast, +3 in the steppe, + 6 ° C in mountainous areas.
• December. The onset of winter is characterized by cold air currents, wet precipitation in the form of rain and snow. At this time, the temperature drops to +7 in the south, +1 in the mountains and + 2 ° C in the steppes.

The average annual temperature in different climatic zones is not the same. Its decrease is observed from east to west. On the southern coast, the average annual indicators can fluctuate within +12.14, in the central steppe zone +9.7.11, in the lower mountain subzone +8.10, and on the summit plateaus, the lowest temperature is from +3.5 to +6 degrees Celsius.

The water on the Black Sea coast of Crimea warms up unevenly. This process occurs faster in places where the depth is shallow. On the Crimean coast, this corresponds to the northwestern and northeastern regions. Here the water temperature can reach + 17 ° C by mid-May.

Near the southern coast of Crimea, sea water cools down much more slowly. That's why until almost mid-October, the water temperature allows swimming.

Seasonal changes also affect the temperature of the sea water. Its averages for different cities are presented in different numbers.

• In January it is in Alupka and Miskhor + 9.6 ° C, in Alushta + 9.4 ° C in Sudak + 9.3 ° C, in Yalta 9.5 ° C, in Kerch 5.9 ° C, in Evpatoria +8 ° C.
• In February it decreases: near Alupka, Miskhor and Yalta to + 8.6 ° C, near Alushta to + 8.4 ° C, Kerch to + 5.4 ° C, near Sudak + 8.3 ° C, near Evpatoria to +7 , 3 ° C.
• March-April there is a gradual increase in temperature: near Alupka, Alushta, Miskhor and Yalta from + 8.6 ° C in March to + 10.4 ° C in April, near Kerch from + 5.9 ° C to + 10.4 ° C, in Evpatoria from 7.6 ° C to + 10 ° C, respectively.
• In May the water warms up to + 16.4 ° C near Alushta, Sudak and Yalta, and near Alupka up to + 10.3 ° C, in Kerch up to + 17 ° C, near Miskhor up to + 16.3 ° C, near Evpatoria up to + 16.1 ° C.
• In June the mass bathing season begins, as the water warms up to + 18.22 ° C. In Alushta, Miskhor, Sudak and Yalta the water reaches + 21.8 ° C, in Alupka + 21.7 ° C, near Kerch + 22.6 ° C, in Evpatoria + 21.3 ° C.
• July August - the time when the water is warmed up to the maximum. Near Alupka, Miskhor and Sudak it is warmed up to + 24.6 ° C, near Alushta and Yalta up to + 24.7 ° C, in Kerch + 25.5 ° C, in Evpatoria + 24 ° C.
• In August in all cities the temperature exceeds + 25 ° C. On some days, it can rise to + 26.28 ° C.
• In September during the velvet season, the water is still quite warm - within + 22.22.6 ° C in almost all cities. The lowest water temperature is near Kerch - it reaches + 22 ° C.
• In October the sea begins to gradually cool down. Near Alupka and Miskhor it is already + 18 ° C, near Alushta and Sudak + 18.1 ° C, near Kerch + 16.3 ° C, and Evpatoria + 17.7 ° C.
• November and December the cooling of the water continues: from + 14 ° C near Alupka, Miskhor and Sudak (in November) to + 11.1 ° C (in December), near Alushta from + 14.2 ° C to + 11.2 ° C, in Kerch from + 11.1 ° C to + 7.8 ° C, in Yalta from + 14.1 ° C to + 11.2 ° C and in Evpatoria from + 13.3 ° C to + 10.1 ° C.

Humidity is an integral component of the water balance in the atmosphere. It directly affects cloud formation and precipitation. The enrichment of the atmosphere with moisture is carried out due to the evaporation of sea and ocean water.

In winter and summer, humidity differs markedly. Summer is characterized by the lowest relative humidity, while winter is the highest. Wet days are considered to be days when the relative humidity reaches 80% at noon, and at 30% the days are considered very dry. In winter, on the peninsula, humidity can vary from 60% in the foothill zone to 65-76% throughout the other territory.

Precipitation is considered another important climate factor. The Crimean territory is distinguished by a complex and peculiar structure of the landscape and the peculiarity of the circulation of air masses. Therefore, precipitation is unevenly distributed, and its volume can fluctuate within the following limits: in the steppe regions - 250 mm, in the mountainous regions - 1000 mm per year.

The main part of the territory of Crimea suffers from insufficient humidity. The coast is characterized by a seasonal decrease in atmospheric precipitation, which occurs in the spring and summer.

In Crimea, precipitation is characterized not only by uneven distribution, but also by their different amount from year to year. The total annual rate may vary from year to year. In the steppe regions, this fluctuation can be as follows: from a minimum amount of 110-250 mm to a maximum amount of 485-720 mm, although their average figure is 340-425 mm per year.

In the lower mountainous subzone, these figures vary with an average annual rate of 450-490 mm from a minimum of 190-340 mm to a maximum of 715-870 mm. The southern coast is characterized by the following figures: average annual level - 430-550 mm, minimum - 160-180 mm, maximum - up to 1030 mm per year.

And also the unequal amount of precipitation falls at different times of the year. The maximum amount of precipitation in the steppe regions and in the Crimean foothills occurs in June-July, on the southern coast the wettest month is January or December. Only in the east and west of the coast, precipitation is somewhat uniform throughout the year.

Rainfall is the main type of precipitation and accounts for 80 to 85% of the total annual rate. Snow and hail account for only about 10%, and the share of mixed precipitation is even less - from 5 to 8%. In the mountain In Crimea, the amount of rainfall varies with height: the higher, the less precipitation.

Snow covers in winter are also unevenly distributed. There is no permanent snow cover in the main area. It is stable only in high mountainous areas.

Air pressure is the only indicator that is the same for the entire peninsula. It varies depending on the season and is 758 mm Hg in summer and 765 mm Hg in winter.

Winds also affect climatic conditions. Mountains have a big impact on their speed and frequency. The prevailing wind directions on the peninsula are northeast, northwest and southwest.In winter, north-eastern (45%) winds blow most often, less often south-western (25%) and southern (20%) winds.

In spring, the north-east and north-west winds prevail in the steppe regions, and the south wind prevails on the seashore. The climate of Crimea is characterized by different types of winds.

• Storms. They occur most often in high-mountain plateaus - up to 80-85 days, and less often in the steppe regions - 12-28 days per year.
• Hurricane winds usually accompanied by storms from the northeast.
• Breezes - winds that change their direction depending on the time of day: during the day they blow from the sea to the coast, and at night - in the opposite direction. July-August is the time when breezes occur most often - up to 18 days per month.
• Hair dryer - a type of mountain wind, which forms mainly in the winter and spring months. This dry wind often lowers the humidity by up to 8%.

For human health, such features of weather conditions as solar radiation and air temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity and air saturation with ions and ozone are important. The unique climate of Crimea combines all these factors in the best possible way.

Sunbathing should be dosed, gradually increasing the duration of exposure to the sun. Excess sun exposure can lead to sun and heat stroke, exacerbation of existing diseases and skin burns.

For people who come to Crimea for recovery, the best time to relax is the velvet period in October or May-June. At this time, it is already warm enough to take sun and air baths, but there is no sweltering heat.

Another factor with a therapeutic effect is sea bathing, which affects various mechanisms of the body's regulation and increases the overall tone.

The healing Crimean climate is quite suitable not only for recreation or health improvement, but also for permanent residence, although January and February bring some inconveniences to local residents.

Since the Crimean climate is very diverse, individual districts and cities have some differences in weather conditions.

The climate in Evpatoria is considered the best for life. The average annual air temperature reaches + 11.7 ° C. The climate here is moderately warm, there is enough precipitation. It is Evpatoria that is recommended for families with children.

The warmest city is Miskhor, followed by Alupka. The sun shines in it 246 days a year, and autumn is warm and favorable. Winter temperatures never go below + 4 ° C.

Yalta has the driest air. It is protected by high mountains from the penetration of cold air masses. Evergreen subtropical vegetation and warm sea fumes weaken the heat and fill the air with useful healing ingredients.

See below about the peculiarities of the climate in Crimea.