Ekaterinburg is located in the center of Eurasia near the Ural mountain range, on the banks of the river. Iset is the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk region. The distance to Moscow is 1,667 thousand km. The scientific and cultural life of the Urals is concentrated here. There are high-tech logistics hubs: six federal highways, an international airport. Equally important is the presence of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Climatic conditions
The climate of Yekaterinburg is continental, which is characterized by a rapid change in weather. This is due to the proximity to Siberia and remoteness from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
The seasons are well defined. The continental climate is characterized by cold winters, hot summers, and low rainfall. The prevailing impact is exerted by large atmospheric masses formed over land. Similar weather is inherent in the interior of the continents, the central parts of Eurasia.
Due to the remoteness of oceans and rivers, deserts and steppes are formed. Yekaterinburg is located in temperate latitudes. The temperature changes rapidly during the day and throughout the year. The average humidity is low, the air is intermittentexcessively dusty. Few clouds and precipitation. The wind raises dust storms in dry areas. On the border created by the Ural Range, there is a junction of continental and temperate continental climates. In comparison with the territories of the Cis-Urals, there is less precipitation here, snow does not fall in such large quantities.
Outside influences
Climatic conditions are influenced by air currents, cyclones and rainfall. Although the Ural Mountains are low in height, they block the way for air masses coming from the western side of the European edge of the Russian Federation.
The wind speed is slowing down, it moves to the south and north, bypassing this area. A cold air current of continental air coming from western Siberia hits the lands of the Northern Urals.
Warm wind comes from the south side (Central Asian deserts and the Caspian Sea) to the city of Yekaterinburg. The climate is characterized by variable weather patterns due to influences coming from various quarters.
The winter period is longer and less warm than in the European territory of the Russian Federation. Lower humidity. The difference in night and daytime temperatures is significant. Anomalies are forming.
Temperature level
In winter, severe frosts are rapidly replaced by rains and thaws. The average annual temperature reaches minus 16 C (for January -19 C). During periods of frost, it happened that the temperature level fell below -50 C. Above 0, the mark on the thermometer does not rise for half a year.
In the summer, after a 35-degree heat, it sometimes gets colder, which catches the residents of the city ill-prepared for sudden changes in the weather by surprise. West and southwest winds blow more often than east and north.
Starting from mid-June to the end of August, heat comes to the city of Yekaterinburg. The climate in summer is conducive to swimming. Water temperature 19-22 degrees.
Thaw occurs in April, and by the end of the month the snow completely disappears from the streets of the city.
Precipitation
The level of precipitation is largely influenced by relief. In flat areas, their number is less. The annual amount of rainwater and snow of 53.7 centimeters characterizes Yekaterinburg. The climate is characterized by humidity of 70%. During May, its level reaches 57%, and in winter - 79%. Large values are in the summer (maximum values - July, minimum - March). During the year it rains and snows 230 days, in one month - 19 days (May - 14, December - 24).
The rainiest period was recorded in 1987. Then in September 2.29 cm of precipitation fell. The norm was 58 mm. This is 4.2 times less.
April 1904 is characterized by the greatest aridity. There was no rain at all then.
Snow falls in moderation, but lasts a long time, melting several times over the winter. The average height of snowdrifts is 42 centimeters in February-early March. In the southeast, precipitation is less than 40 cm. The greatest snow cover was observed in early spring (about 81 cm).
Annu altemperature fluctuations
Another indicator that characterizes the climate is air. Yekaterinburg is one of the cities with a pronounced continental influence. Winters here are not very cold, the average temperature is -12.5 C. The warmest is in July (+19 C). The rise and fall in the off-season is rapid. The hottest day in the history of the city was July 1st in 1911. Then the temperature level rose to +38, 8 C. In winter, the climate here is the most severe. The coldest was in 1978, December 31 (-46.7 C). During that period, there was an ultrapolar invasion from the Red Sea.
The weather and climate are changing towards warming at the junction of March and April. Yekaterinburg in October-November is characterized by minus temperatures. During the cold season, 4 thaws occur, which is 4.5% of the entire season. Snow did not melt during the entire calendar winter in the history of the city 15 times. There was only one thaw once.
Records
Comparing the climate in Yekaterinburg now and what it was like in the middle of the 20th century, it is worth noting significant changes. At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, there was a sharp increase in the temperature level in winter and less significant in summer. The coldest periods recorded in the history of the city have not changed since 1979.
In the 21st century, there are three records for the warmth of the air. In the last decade of last year alone, maximums were reached for five months. In January 2007, November 2013, December 2003, meteorologists noted the highesttemperature over the entire history of observations. In February, March and April, the warmest was in 1995, in May and October - in 1991. In November, over the past three centuries, while the city of Yekaterinburg existed, the climate turned out to be the mildest in 2013 (an average of 1.8 degrees).
The attitude of residents and tourists to the climate of Yekaterinburg
It's hard for a person who grew up in a city with more moderate temperature differences to get used to the weather and calmly endure the climate of Yekaterinburg. Feedback from residents and guests of the city indicates that summer showers are strong here, and it is not very pleasant to fall under them. After this natural phenomenon, the street is still muddy and slushy for a long time.
When the temperature in summer is above +20, the water evaporates quickly, the asph alt dries, but because of this it becomes stuffy. It is easier in this respect during the period of spring, autumn and winter. Snow falls for a long time, does not melt. There is no problem of ice when walking down the street is life threatening. Vehicles move on the roads as usual. Snowdrifts have time to clear. They are not tall. People even ride bikes dressed warmly. Driving the machine is all the more easy.
