Climate features in Kazan

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

There is a stereotype that Kazan is quite warm. And many, having arrived in the capital of Tatarstan in winter, are very surprised to find severe frosts there. The climate in Kazan is actually very similar to the climate of the Russian capital. And what's more, it's even slightly colder.

What is the climatic region in Kazan?

From the point of view of meteorology, it is believed that Kazan has a temperate continental climate region. In general, the temperate climate means that the region does not experience severe frosts and suffocating heat.

But in fact, if we consider central Russia, compared to many other cities in Kazan, the climate is close to moderately cold. The average temperature over the past century there is fixed at around +5 °C. And in recent years, due to global warming, there have been abnormal frosts down to -45 °C and abnormal heat up to +45 °C in Kazan.

Comparison with Moscow climate

If we compare the weather and climate of Kazan with Moscow, the differences still exist. In Kazan, the absolute average annual maximum is almost one degree higher, and the absolute minimum is five degrees lower. It's still colder in Kazan, soas the average annual temperature is 4.6 °C against the capital's 5.8 °C. But on the other hand, Kazan receives an average of 200 mm less precipitation per year than Moscow.

Precipitation

Kazan is considered a zone of moderate moisture in terms of precipitation. In summer, these are rains, which make up 70% of the total annual precipitation, and in winter - snow and hail, and somewhere around 10% of all precipitation falls in a mixed form. The least precipitation is in spring, and more specifically in March, but the thickness of the snow cover reaches its maximum value by this time.

Maximum precipitation occurs in summer, mostly in July. This month also leads in terms of the highest temperature of the year, on average over the past hundred years it is as much as 20 degrees. The coldest, as in all of Russia, is January. But over the past 10 years, the all-time high in January rose from -46.8°C to -32.7°C.

Climate features in Kazan

As in all of central Russia, in Kazan there are two radically different periods, not four as indicated in the calendar. Namely, cold - from November to March and warm - from April to October. Spring and autumn in Kazan are faster and not so pronounced. Almost the entire cold period in Kazan is covered with snow, despite the fact that it affects the "calendar" autumn and spring. And months like April, May and September are often so warm that you can swim in local waters.

Seismic activity

Besides the fact that there are tectonic faults on the territory of Tatarstan, it is alsois a major oil producing region. After oil is pumped out of the fields, voids remain in the thickness of the earth, which are filled with water. These voids are theoretically capable of causing earthquakes.

In 2000, because of this, they even abandoned the idea of building a nuclear power plant in Tatarstan. But in fact, strong earthquakes are rare in Tatarstan. The last such near Kazan was registered in 1909, its strength was 7 points (out of 12 possible). Since then, there have only been weak aftershocks of magnitude 2–4, the last of which occurred in 2010. In general, there is a downward trend in the frequency of seismic activity in the region.

But on the other hand, the following meteorological phenomena often occur in Kazan:

• squally wind up to 22 m/s;
• blizzards;
• rain showers;
• abnormal heat up to +45 °C;
• hard frost down to -45 °C;
• large hail.

At a time when there is a possibility of squally winds and hurricanes, the Ministry of Emergency Situations sends warnings to all residents with mobile phones. Since at this time it is better not to go on long trips along the highway or is in open space. Squally winds in Kazan have repeatedly caused quite serious damage. For example, billboards and roofs were torn off houses, cars were crushed by trees, windows in houses were shattered, and trees were uprooted. Wind direction in Kazan is predominantly south, west and southeast.