North Caucasus: nature and its description. Features of the nature of the Caucasus

2. Give a description of the climate of the Greater Caucasus, explain how the climate of the foothills differs from the highlands?

1. The climate of the Greater Caucasus is determined by its southern location, the proximity of the Black and Mediterranean Seas, as well as the significant height of the mountain ranges. The Greater Caucasus is a barrier to the movement of masses of humid warm air from the west. More precipitation falls on the southern slopes, maximum amount- in the western part, where more than 2500 mm per year falls in the highlands (most of all in our country). To the east, precipitation drops to 600 mm per year. The northern slope of the Greater Caucasus is generally drier than the southern one.

   In the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, on a relatively small area, there is a wide range of climatic zones with pronounced zonality in height: humid subtropics of the Black Sea coast; continental dry (in the east to semi-desert) climate with hot summers and short, but cold winter on the plains of the Ciscaucasia, there is a temperate continental climate of the foothills with significant precipitation (especially in the western part) and snowy winters (in the Krasnaya Polyana region, on the watershed of the Bzyb and Chkhalta rivers, the snow cover reaches 5 m and even 8 m). In the zone of alpine meadows, the climate is cold and humid, winter lasts up to 7 months, the average temperatures of August - the warmest month - range from 0 to + 10C. Above is the so-called nival belt, where the average temperature of even the warmest month does not exceed 0. Precipitation here falls mainly in the form of snow or grains (hail).

   The average January temperatures at the foot of the mountains are -5С in the north and from +3 to +6С in the south at an altitude of 2000 m -7-8С, at an altitude of 3000 m -12С, at an altitude of 4000 m -17С. The average temperature in July at the foot of the mountains in the west is +24С, in the east up to +29С at an altitude of 2000 m +14С, at an altitude of 3000 m +8С, at an altitude of 4000 m +2С.

   In the Greater Caucasus, the height of the snow line, rising from west to east, fluctuates between 2700 m - 3900 m above sea level. Its northern mark is different for the northern and southern slopes. In the Western Caucasus, these are 3010 and 2090 m, respectively, in the Central Caucasus - 3360 and 3560 m, in the Eastern Caucasus - 3700 and 3800 m. total area modern glaciation of the Greater Caucasus - 1780 km. The number of glaciers is 2047, their tongues descend to absolute levels: 2300-2700 m (Western Caucasus), 1950-2400 m (Central Caucasus), 2400-3200 m (Eastern Caucasus). Most of the glaciation occurs on the north side of the GKH. The distribution of the glaciation area is as follows: Western Caucasus - 282 and 163 sq. km Central Caucasus - 835 and 385 sq. km East Caucasus - 114 and 1 sq. km, respectively.

   Caucasian glaciers are distinguished by a variety of forms. Here you can see grandiose icefalls with seracs, ice grottoes, "tables", "mills", deep cracks. Glaciers endure a large number of clastic material accumulating in the form of various moraines on the sides and at the tongue of glaciers.

The Caucasus cannot be attributed to one climatic region. To the north of the axial belt of the Greater Caucasus - a temperate climate, in Transcaucasia - subtropical. Within them there are differences due to the nature of the relief, position in relation to air currents, position relative to the Black and Caspian Seas, and local circulation.

The climate of the Caucasus is changing in three directions:

from west to east - in the direction of increasing continentality,

from north to south - in the direction of increasing amounts of radiative heat

in the high-altitude direction - an increase in precipitation and a decrease in temperatures.

Cloudiness plays a special role - with an increase in the mountains and in the western regions of the Caucasus, due to its increase, the annual values ​​of solar radiation are less than average.

In the summer months, the radiation balance in the Caucasus is close to tropical, local VMs transform into tropical ones.

Circulation: continental air of temperate latitudes dominates in the North Caucasus, subtropical in Transcaucasia. Alpine zones under the influence of western directions.

IN winter months the territory is located south of the "major axis"; areas are formed over the Black and the south of the Caspian reduced pressure. The result is an outflow of dense cold masses of the "great axis" to the Caucasus. However, the mountain wall prevents penetration to the south, it is still possible to bypass along the coasts of the seas - "nords" and "boron". In the west, there is a lot of snow in the mountains. To the east, the influence of southwestern transport weakens and the influence of the Asian anticyclone intensifies, snowfall decreases. A local anticyclone forms over the Armenian Highlands in winter.

IN summer time over Asia they form an area of ​​low pressure. The western currents of sea air of temperate latitudes from the North Atlantic are intensifying, which capture the Caucasus. They give up precipitation on windward slopes. In the second half, the Azorean maximum shifts to the north and often captures the Caucasus.

The role of foehns, mountain-valley winds and breezes, the formation of a center of low pressure over the Armenian Highlands is noticeable. Sea basins moderate the temperature.

In general, the southern slopes are characterized by higher (summer and winter) temperatures. The annual amount of precipitation increases with elevation to the mountains and decreases at all levels from west to east.

The Caucasus is located on the border of the temperate and subtropical zones. The influx of solar radiation is so significant that in the summer a local center for the formation of tropical air masses is created in Transcaucasia. The boundary of the temperate and subtropical belts runs along the axial part of the Greater Caucasus. Radiation balance 2300 MJ / m 2 / year (west) - 1800 (east) MJ / m 2 / year.

In winter, the continental air of temperate latitudes (CLA) spreads to Ciscaucasia from the Voeikov axis. East and northeast winds prevail. Cold air entering Ciscaucasia lingers on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, not rising above 700-800 m. And only in the northwestern part of the Black Sea chain, where the height of the ridges is less than 1000 m, cold air crosses them. Over the water area of ​​the Black Sea in winter, low pressure is established, so cold heavy air rushes towards it at high speed, literally falling from the mountains. Strong cold winds arise, the so-called Novorossiysk bora. The air temperature during boron drops to -15...-20°С. Bora is observed in the Anapa-Tuapse section.

The upper parts of the mountains are located in the free atmosphere zone, where the prevailing role belongs to the western winds. In winter, the western transport dominates at an altitude of more than 1.5-2 km, and in summer - 3.5-4 km.

Great influence on the formation climatic conditions cold period has cyclonic activity that develops on the Mediterranean branch of the polar front. The trajectories of the Mediterranean cyclones are directed to the northeast of the Black Sea and cross the Caucasus in its western part. Their advance through the Caucasus leads to tropical air advection, which causes intense thaws, snow cover snow avalanches in the mountains and the formation of foehns on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. With the development of hair dryers, the air temperature can rise to +15...+20°C. As the height of the mountains increases, the absolute maximum temperature decreases in winter and becomes negative at Elbrus station (-2...-3°C).

Frequent advection of heat, the influence of the sea determine the positive average monthly air temperature for Black Sea coast Caucasus. The average January temperature in Novorossiysk is +2°С, in Sochi +6.1°С. In Ciscaucasia, the average air temperature is -1...-2°C in the western regions, dropping to -4...-4.5°C in the center and rising again to the Caspian Sea to -2...0°C. In the mountains, the temperature decreases with height, reaching -12 ... -14 ° C in the highlands, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bperpetual snow and glaciers.

When cold air masses break through from the north, the temperature in Ciscaucasia can drop to -30...-36°C. Even in Anapa, the absolute minimum is -26°C, and in Sochi - -15°C.

The intensification of cyclonic activity in the cold season causes the winter maximum precipitation on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. In the rest of the territory, the maximum precipitation occurs in the summer.

In winter, snow cover sets in on the plains and in the mountains of the Caucasus. It first appears on the plains with relatively warm winter only in the second half of December. In some winters, stable snow cover does not form. Snow falls repeatedly during cooling and melts during thaws. The thickness of the snow cover on the plains is 10-15 cm. On the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains (Achishkho), due to the abundance of winter precipitation and the decrease in the frequency of winter thaws, the snow thickness reaches 3-4 m. In the mountains of the eastern part of the Caucasus, it is reduced to 1 m (Myachkova N.A., 1983). The number of days with snow cover on the Stavropol Upland is 70-80, decreasing to the west and east of it to 50-40 and increasing in the mountains to 80-110 days due to the long cold period. On the lower border of the highland zone, snow lies 120 days a year.

In the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands, an area of ​​high pressure is formed at this time. From here, the cold continental air of Asia Minor (temperature -12°C) is taken out, penetrating into the middle part of the Riono-Kura corridor, but quickly transforming as it moves east. Colchis is filled with sea air masses of temperate latitudes, coming here with Mediterranean cyclones (t 4-6o). In winter, they constantly cross the Black Sea, where the pressure is low, and, as it were, fall into a trap between the B. and M. Caucasus ranges. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in late summer (August-September), as well as in late autumn - early winter. In other regions of the Caucasus, there is no precipitation at this time, with the exception of the Kuro-Araks lowland. Here, autumn-winter precipitation and partly spring precipitation are associated with a branch of the Iranian polar front, along the line of which cyclonic activity develops. It increases significantly on the slopes of Talysh and along the outskirts of this lowland.

In summer, the formation of the climate in the Caucasus is significantly affected by the frequency of humid Atlantic air masses and dry continental air masses, which form over the spaces of the interior regions of Eurasia and come from the east. In connection with this, the importance of the submeridional climate division (the transverse uplift of the Stavropol Upland - the Central Caucasus) is enhanced. On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and in the Western Ciscaucasia, the air warms up to 22-23°C. In the highest parts of the Stavropol Upland and in the Mineralovodchesky region, the average temperature in July is 20-21°C. In the east of Ciscaucasia, the air warms up to 24-25°C. In the mountains, the air temperature decreases with height, reaching 10°C at an altitude of about 2500 m and 7°C at an altitude of 3000 m. At the Elbrus station (altitude 4250 m), the average July temperature is only 1.4°C.

In the first half of summer in Ciscaucasia, the influence of Atlantic cyclones, which determine the June maximum precipitation, increases. Later, the transformation of air masses over the southeast of the Russian Plain increases, therefore, already in the middle of summer, the amount of precipitation decreases, and conditions are often created for the formation of dry winds and droughts, the frequency of which increases in the east.

The annual amount of precipitation increases from the foothills to the mountains and with the rise up the slopes, but at the same time it noticeably decreases when moving from west to east. On the Kuban-Azov lowland, the annual amount of precipitation is 550-600 mm, on the Stavropol Upland it increases to 700-800 mm and decreases to 500-350 mm in the Eastern Ciscaucasia. On the Black Sea coast, the amount of precipitation increases rapidly from north to south (from 700 mm northwest of Novorossiysk to 1650 mm in the Sochi region). In the highlands of the western part of the Greater Caucasus, 2000-3000 mm of precipitation falls, and in the eastern part - only 1000-1500 mm. The amount of precipitation also decreases in the depression between the Rocky and Lateral Ranges, especially in the "shadow" of the Rocky Range, amounting to 650-700 mm. The largest annual amount of precipitation is observed on the windward southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. At the Achishkho station, it is over 3700 mm per year. This - the largest number precipitation not only in the Caucasus, but throughout Russia.

Average annual precipitation: Colchis, southern slope of the Western Caucasus - 1.5-2 thousand mm, Western and Middle Ciscaucasia 450-600 mm, Eastern Ciscaucasia, Terek-Kuma lowland -200-350 mm, Kuro-Araks lowland - 200-300 mm, Javakheti-Armenian highland 450-600 mm, Lankaran lowland - 1200 mm. It is warmest in summer in the Kuro-Araks lowland (26-28°C), in the rest of the territory 23-25°C, in the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands 18°C. However, temperature and precipitation are subject to change depending on the height of the mountains, forming altitudinal climatic zonality. So, the average annual temperature on the Black Sea coast is 12-14°С, in the foothills of the Caucasus it is 7-8°С, at an altitude of 2-3 thousand m -3-0°С. In summer, despite the increase in solar radiation with height, the temperature drops by an average of 0.5-0.6 ° C every 100 m, and by 0.3-0.4 ° C in winter. When climbing the mountains, the average annual positive temperature persists only up to a height of 2300-2500 m. On Elbrus it is -10°C. Similar regularities are preserved for average monthly air temperatures. Thus, the average temperature in January in the Ciscaucasia is -2-7 ° С, in the middle and high mountains - from -8 to -13°C; on Elbrus -19°С; in Novorossiysk 3°С, Sochi 5°С. In July, the temperature is 23-25°С everywhere, at an altitude of 2-2.5 thousand m -18°С, 4000 m -2°С.

Quantity precipitation also changes with height. If in the northeastern Ciscaucasia they fall less than 300 m, further to the west 300-400 mm, and in the Western Ciscaucasia 400-500 mm, then already in the low-mountain regions of Stavropol - Nalchik 500-800 mm, at the latitude and height of Vladikavkaz - 800-1000 m (1.5 thousand m), at an altitude of 2 thousand m, an average of 1000-1500 mm; higher the amount of precipitation decreases: Terskol - (3050 m) - 930 mm.

The height of the snow line is 2800-3000 m, in the western part - 3200-3500 m, in the eastern part of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus glaciation is negligible - 3 square meters. km. On B.K. - 1420 km 2, their total number is 2200. Of these, 70% is located on the northern slope, 30% - on the southern. Types of glaciers - mountain-valley (20% of the area), cirque and hanging. Glaciation centers - Elbrus, Kazbek, other peaks of the Central Caucasus in M.K. - Aragats, Zangezur ridge, Javakheti ridge. All glaciers are in retreat (10-20 m/year).

The climate and features of the relief of the Caucasus determine its modern glaciation. Within Russia, there are 1498 glaciers in the Caucasus with a total glaciation area of ​​993.6 km 2, which is 70% of the total number of glaciers and the glaciation area of ​​the Greater Caucasus. The sharp predominance of glaciers on the northern slope is due to orographic features, blizzard transport of snow by western winds beyond the barrier of the Dividing Range, and slightly less insolation than on the southern slope. The snow limit lies at 2800-3200 m in the western part of the Caucasus and rises to 3600-4000 m in the east.

The greatest glaciation is concentrated in the Central Caucasus. The largest massif of modern glaciation is the Elbrus glacial complex (area 122.6 km 2). The two-headed Elbrus is covered with a firn-ice cap about 10 km in diameter, which feeds more than 50 glacial streams radially diverging from it. The largest complex valley glacier in the Caucasus is the Bezengi glacier (length 17.6 km, area 36.2 km 2), located at the foot of the Bezengi wall and feeding the Cherek-Bezengi river. It is followed by the Dykh-Su glaciers (length 13.3 km, area 34.0 km2) and Karaugom (length 13.3 km, area 26.6 km2).

In the Western Caucasus, due to the low height of the mountains, glaciation is small. Its largest areas are concentrated in the Kuban basin near the highest mountain peaks - Dombai-Ulgen, Pshish, etc. The glaciation of the Eastern Caucasus is less significant due to the great dryness of the climate and is mainly represented by small glaciers - cirque, hanging, caro-valley.

The total area of ​​glaciers is 1965 km2. Glaciation reaches its greatest development between Elbrus and Kazbek, from here it gradually decreases to the west and sharply to the east. The most common car and hanging. 20% - valley glaciers. Everyone regresses.

Many factors influence the climate of the Caucasus. The most important of them are latitudinal zonality and vertical zonality. However, the actions of these main factors are largely corrected by the peculiarities of the geographical location and topography.

In addition, the climate different parts Caucasus is greatly influenced by the proximity of the Black and Seas of Azov in the west and the Caspian Sea in the east. All these factors have created a variety of climatic and forest conditions in the Caucasus.

The high mountain ranges in the Caucasus influence the advancement and distribution of baric phenomena. Thus, the main Caucasian ridge protects the territory of Transcaucasia from the invasion of cold air masses approaching from the north. These air masses flow around the ridge and enter Transcaucasia from the west and east, being moistened due to contact with the Black and Caspian Seas and somewhat warming up under the influence of the warm land surface.

Mountains, cutting in different directions the territory of Transcaucasia, and solar radiation continue to modify the climate of the Caucasus, affecting the direction and speed of air masses, their rise, etc.

All this creates the complexity and diversity of climate elements - air and soil temperatures, the amount, intensity and distribution of precipitation, relative humidity air, wind direction and speed, etc.

The intensity of solar radiation increases with the elevation of the terrain. However the main role does not belong to the sum of heat and solar radiation, but to air and soil temperature. Due to the intensity of solar radiation in the mountains, there are large fluctuations in air temperatures during the day.

The soil gets very warm on sunny days, especially on the slopes of southern exposure. As a result, the soil temperature changes less with increasing altitude than the air temperature, and the difference between air and soil temperatures becomes very small. At night, the surface layer of soil on the slopes noticeably cools, but in deeper layers its temperature exceeds the air temperature.

According to the degree of moisture in the Caucasus, there are: humid subtropical regions of the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory, Western Georgia and South-East Azerbaijan; humid regions of the Northern and Western Caucasus; dry regions of Eastern Georgia, Western Azerbaijan, Armenia, Dagestan.

The climate of the Caucasus can be traced with each rise in altitude, according to scientists, for every 100 meters of rise, the amount of precipitation increases by 20%, in the Crimea by 14-15%.

Precipitation and rainy days are greatly influenced by local geographic factors. Thus, under the influence of the Black Sea in the adjacent areas of Western Georgia and the Krasnodar Territory, the average annual precipitation exceeds 1000 mm, reaching 3000 mm in the coastal strip of Adjara. In dry mountainous areas, the average annual precipitation is 300-350 mm, decreasing in some years to 100 mm.

The climatic features of the Greater Caucasus are determined altitudinal zoning and the rotation of the mountain barrier formed by it at a certain angle to the western moisture-bearing air flows - the Atlantic cyclones and the Mediterranean western air currents of the middle layers of the troposphere. This rotation has a decisive influence on the distribution of precipitation.

The wettest is West Side the southern slope, where more than 2500 mm of precipitation falls annually in the highlands. The record amount of precipitation falls on the Achishkho ridge near Krasnaya Polyana - 3200 mm per year, this is the wettest place in Russia. Winter snow cover in the area of ​​the meteorological station Achishkho reaches 5-7 meters!

In the east of the Central Caucasus in the highlands falls up to 1500 mm per year, and on the southern slope of the Eastern Caucasus only 800-600 mm per year.

By the nature of the air masses, the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus belongs to subtropical belt, whose border with the temperate zone is emphasized by the highlands barrier. The west of the lower part of the southern slope has a humid subtropical climate, while the east has a semi-dry climate. The northern slope of the Greater Caucasus is generally drier than the southern one.

In the mountains of the Greater Caucasus, on a relatively small area, there is a wide range of climatic zones with pronounced zonality in height: humid subtropics of the Black Sea coast; continental dry (in the east to semi-desert) climate with hot summers and short but cold winters; precipitation (especially in the western part) and snowy winters (in the Krasnaya Polyana area, on the watershed of the Bzyb and Chkhalta rivers, the snow cover reaches 5 m and even 8 m). In the zone of alpine meadows, the climate is cold and humid, winter lasts up to 7 months, the average temperatures of August - the warmest month - range from 0 to 10 ° C. Above is the so-called nival belt, where the average temperature of even the warmest month does not exceed 0 °. Precipitation here falls mainly in the form of snow or grains (hail).

The average January temperatures at the foot of the mountains are -5°С in the north and from 3° to 6°С in the south at an altitude of 2000 m -7-8°С, at an altitude of 3000 m -12°С, at an altitude of 4000 m -17°С . The average July temperatures at the foot of the mountains in the west are 24°С, in the east up to 29°С at an altitude of 2000 m 14°С, at an altitude of 3000 m 8°С, at an altitude of 4000 m 2°С.

In the Greater Caucasus, the height of the snow line, rising from west to east, ranges from 2700 m - 3900 m above sea level. Its northern mark is different for the northern and southern slopes. In the Western Caucasus, these are 3010 and 2090 m, respectively, in the Central - 3360 and 3560 m, in the East - 3700 and 3800 m. The total area of ​​modern glaciation of the Greater Caucasus is 1780 km¤. The number of glaciers is 2047, their tongues descend to absolute levels: 2300-2700 m (Western Caucasus), 1950-2400 m (Central Caucasus), 2400-3200 m (Eastern Caucasus). Most of the glaciation occurs on the north side of the GKH. The distribution of the glaciation area is as follows: Western Caucasus - 282 and 163 sq. km Central Caucasus - 835 and 385 sq. km East Caucasus - 114 and 1 sq. km, respectively.

Caucasian glaciers are distinguished by a variety of forms. Here you can see grandiose icefalls with seracs, ice grottoes, tables, mills, deep cracks. Glaciers carry out a large amount of detrital material that accumulates in the form of various moraines on the sides and at the tongue of the glaciers.

General characteristics of the climate of the Caucasus

The climatic conditions of the Caucasus are determined not only by its geographic location, but also relief.

The Caucasus is located on the border of two climatic zones - temperate and subtropical. These climatic zones have internal differences, which are determined by the relief, air currents, local circulation of the atmosphere and the position between the seas.

Climate change is happening in three ways:

1. in the direction of increasing continentality, i.e. from west to east;
2. towards an increase in radiative heat, i.e. from North to South;
3. in the direction of increasing precipitation and decreasing temperatures, i.e. with height.

The territory receives a lot of solar heat and in summer the radiation balance is close to tropical, so the air masses here are transformed into tropical air.

IN winter period the radiation balance approaches positive values.

Continental air of temperate latitudes dominates the North Caucasus, subtropical air dominates the Transcaucasus. Altitudinal belts are under the influence of western directions.

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Transcaucasia, Ciscaucasia and the western part of the Greater Caucasus are under the influence of Mediterranean cyclones.

The mountains of the Greater Caucasus do not allow cold northern air masses to pass into the Transcaucasus, and in the same way they do not allow warm air masses to pass into the Ciscaucasia, therefore the northern and southern parts of the Caucasus have large temperature differences.

Average annual temperatures vary from +10 degrees in the north to +16 degrees in the south.

In summer, temperature differences are smoothed out, but there is a difference in temperatures between the western and eastern parts of the mountains. July temperature in the west is +23, +24 degrees, and in the east +25, +29 degrees.

In winter, an area of ​​low pressure forms over the Black Sea and the south of the Caspian Sea, and a local anticyclone forms over the Armenian Highlands.

In summer, an area of ​​low pressure forms over Asia, as a result, the sea air from the Atlantic intensifies in temperate latitudes and captures the Caucasus. The precipitation that sea air brings falls on the windward slopes of mountains.

In the second half of summer, the Caucasus captures the Azores high, which shifts to the north.

Summer and winter temperatures are higher on the southern slopes of the Caucasus. With height, the annual amount of precipitation increases, and decreases from west to east at all levels.

At an altitude of 2000 m, the western transport of air plays a leading role, here there is an increase in the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and mediterranean sea, and the upper "floor" is located in conditions where a free atmosphere circulates.

Since the relief of the mountains provides this exchange, the climate of the highlands is more humid and resembles a sea one.

Marine-type air masses cannot form over them due to the insufficient size of the Black and Caspian Seas. Continental air circulates above the surface of the seas, in the lower layer of which there is a change in temperature and humidity.

The Black Sea is located on the path of western air currents and evaporation from its surface comes to the mountains, giving a significant part of the precipitation on the southern slope of the western part.

The climate of the Caucasus in winter

In winter, continental air of temperate latitudes dominates within Ciscaucasia, east and northeast winds. The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus trap cold air, and it does not rise above 700-800 m, but in the northwestern part, where the height is less than 1000 m, cold air manages to cross the mountain range.

At this time, low pressure is established over the Black Sea, and cold air falls from the mountains, rushing to the sea.

As a result, there is a Novorossiysk bora - a strong cold wind. It arises in the Anapa-Tuapse section. The air temperature during the wind drops to -15 ... -20 degrees.

The western transport of air in winter is at an altitude of 1500-2000 m. The activity of cyclones at this time has a great influence on the formation of climatic conditions.

Mediterranean cyclones cross the Caucasus in the western part and cause thaws and avalanches.

Föhn winds form on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. The temperature during this period rises to + 15 ... + 20 degrees.

The influence of the sea and frequent heat advection determine the positive average temperature, so in Novorossiysk the average January temperature is +2 degrees, in Sochi +6.1 degrees. In the mountains with height, it will drop to -12 ... -14 degrees.

On the coast of the Caspian Sea -2 ... 0 degrees.

Sometimes cold northern air masses can reach Ciscaucasia and lower the air temperature to -30 ... -36 degrees. The absolute minimum in Anapa is -26 degrees, in Sochi -15 degrees.

Winter cyclones bring an abundance of precipitation to the Black Sea coast. In the mountains and on the plains, a snow cover is established, with a thickness of 10-15 cm, which disappears during thaws.

Abundant precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, and since thaws are much rarer here, the snow thickness reaches 3-4 m.

In the eastern part of the mountains, the thickness of the snow cover is reduced to 1 m. On the Stavropol Upland, snow lasts 70-80 days, and in the mountains up to 80-110 days.

At this time, the area of ​​high atmospheric pressure is formed on the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands, and the cold continental air of Asia Minor enters. As you move east, it quickly transforms.

The climate of the Caucasus in summer

Humid Atlantic and dry continental air masses coming from the east exert their influence on the formation of the climate in the Caucasus in summer.

The air of the Black Sea coast and Western Ciscaucasia warms up to +22, +23 degrees.

The high parts of the Stavropol Upland warm up to +21 degrees, and the temperature in the east of Ciscaucasia rises to +24, +25 degrees.

The June maximum precipitation in the first half of summer is enhanced by the influence of Atlantic cyclones.

towards the middle summer period over the southeast of the Russian Plain, the air masses are transformed, so there is less precipitation and conditions for the formation of droughts and dry winds appear.

The amount of precipitation from the foothills to the mountains and in the mountains increases, but decreases when moving from west to east. So, the annual amount of precipitation in the Kuban-Azov lowland is 550-600 mm, in the Stavropol Upland their amount increases to 700-800 mm, and within the Eastern Ciscaucasia it decreases to 500-350 mm.

The increase in precipitation from north to south again occurs on the Black Sea coast from 700 mm in the Novorossiysk region to 1650 mm in Sochi.

In the west of the Greater Caucasus, 2000-3000 mm falls, and in the east - 1000-1500 mm. The windward southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus receive more than 3700 mm during the year - this is the largest amount of precipitation in the country.

The highest summer temperatures are observed in the Kura-Araks lowland +26…+28 degrees. The temperature in the rest of the territory is +23 ... +25 degrees, and in the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands +18 degrees.

Depending on the height of the mountains, temperature and precipitation change, thus forming a high-altitude climatic zoning - on the Black Sea coast +12, +14 degrees, in the foothills already +7, +8 degrees, and 0, -3 degrees at an altitude of 2000-3000 m.

With height positive mean annual temperature remains at an altitude of 2300-2500 m, and on Elbrus the temperature is already -10 degrees.