Climate of Azerbaijan: temperature regime, climatic zones and geographical location

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

What is the climate of Azerbaijan? Most people will not be able to answer this question, or at best they will be limited to very general phrases. And it is absolutely in vain - this is an interesting country with a rich history and an amazingly diverse climate. Therefore, we will try to eliminate this knowledge gap by revealing the topic in as much detail as possible.

Geographic location

First of all, it is worth noting that Azerbaijan, despite its small size (about 86 thousand square kilometers - less than the Chelyabinsk region) is the largest state in the Caucasus. According to some sources, it belongs to Western Asia, and according to others, to the Middle East.

In any case, Azerbaijan is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. Almost half of the territory is occupied by mountains. The length from east to west is approximately 500 kilometers, and from north to south - 400.

Which climate prevails

Before moving on to the next question, it is worth understanding how many climates there are in Azerbaijan. More specifically, types of climate. Many will be surprisedthe fact that in this small state you can see almost all existing types of climate! More specifically, nine of the eleven in existence.

If we say what kind of climate prevails in Azerbaijan, we can answer with confidence: subtropical. Mild winters, hot summers and relatively high humidity create ideal conditions for growing almost any crop.

But also here you can see the steppe, temperate, medium, cold climate and many others. Such diversity becomes possible precisely due to the complex terrain. As mentioned above, a large part of the country's territory is occupied by mountains. It is on their peaks that one can observe the coldest and most unfriendly conditions. But lower there are alpine and subalpine meadows.

Temperature

Of course, climate change in Azerbaijan is quite large by months. In some regions, the average annual temperature is about +15 degrees, while in others it reaches -13 degrees Celsius. And again, such a spread is provided by a complex terrain and an abundance of high mountains.

Even in the hottest month - July - the temperature varies quite a lot. At the foot of the mountains it can reach +40…+44 degrees Celsius. And on the peaks it drops below zero, and here the snow does not melt even on the hottest summer days.

Exactly the same picture is observed in January, which is the coldest month. The average January temperature in some regions is +5 degrees, while in others - 24 below zero. So talk aboutThe climate in Azerbaijan is very difficult for months.

But still, the climate here is quite mild - on the plains, even in cold winters, the temperature almost never drops below zero degrees. Thanks to this, this area is perfect for growing almost all types of heat-loving crops, which is actively used by many local residents.

Precipitation

Precipitation is also quite difficult - their average annual amount varies greatly depending on the region. For example, in the region of the capital of Azerbaijan, the city of Baku, there is very little precipitation per year, less than 200 millimeters. But on the slopes of the Talysh mountains and the Lankaran lowland, this amount reaches a maximum - about 1200-1700 millimeters per year. In general, about 300-900 millimeters falls on the plains, and from 900 to 1400 in the foothills.

Moreover, in the mountains, most of the precipitation falls in the warm season - from April to September. The situation is quite different in the plains and lowlands - here the wettest time of the year is winter.

Accordingly, the number of days with precipitation varies greatly. For example, in the Araz plain and the Kura-Araz lowland, there are no more than 60-70 rainy days a year. But if we consider the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, then this figure will increase significantly - up to about 170 days.

In general, the rains here sometimes simply amaze with their abundance and even fury - the elements are raging to the fullest. In the Talysh mountains, the intensity of showers is really amazing. In the lowlands and plainsMost of the precipitation falls as rain - about 80 percent. But for the mountains, this figure is noticeably lower - no more than 40 percent.

Humidity

Like all characteristics related to the climate in Azerbaijan, air humidity is distributed very unevenly. Humidity ranges from 3 to 15 mb. The indicator depends not only on proximity to large reservoirs, but also on height.

For example, in the Caspian coastal zone, the humidity is 14-15 mb - the maximum throughout the country. It is not surprising, because the warm air masses that form over the Caspian Sea have a significant impact on the climate of Azerbaijan and, of course, increase air humidity. The Kura-Azar lowland is only slightly inferior to it, where humidity ranges from 11 to 12 mb.

With moving to the west, the humidity gradually decreases. It also decreases when climbing mountains.

A bit about the winds

As is most often the case in mountainous areas, the winds blow in Azerbaijan quite often and abundantly. Moreover, their temperature and direction directly depend on the season.

For example, in winter in the mountains you can often observe hair dryers - this is how warm dry winds are called. But in summer, on the plains and foothill areas, winds called ag el often blow. And they are quite strong - the average annual wind speed throughout Azerbaijan is about 5 meters per second. If you move to the coastal areas of the Absheron Peninsula, then the speed will increase to 6-8 meters per second. Howeverit should be borne in mind that this speed is average - that is, it is distributed between windy and calm days. In general, about 100-150 days a year, quite strong winds blow here - about 15 meters per second.

Ganja-Gazakh plain is characterized by even stronger winds. True, here the number of windy days is noticeably less and rarely exceeds 70 per year.

The rest of Azerbaijan is rarely exposed to strong winds - most often there is a weak, pleasant breeze.

What affects the climate in the country

Now let's try to figure out what has the greatest impact on Azerbaijan's climate.

Of course, first of all, these are mountains, as mentioned above. Still, it's no secret to anyone that with the ascent to the mountains, the air temperature drops significantly. Mountains also direct wind currents, and in some cases block them. This also leads to a very uneven distribution of precipitation - it falls abundantly in some places and at the same time does not reach others.

The proximity of the Caspian Sea has a huge impact on the territory of Azerbaijan. The mildest and most humid climate is observed precisely on its coast. A large body of water creates its own climate. In summer, the average temperature near the sea is several degrees lower than in the interior of the country. But in winter - a few degrees higher.

Although Azerbaijan is relatively close to the Black Sea, itsthe impact on the climate is relatively small, as the air masses move mainly from east to west.

In closing

This concludes our article. In it, we tried to talk about the climate of Azerbaijan briefly, but succinctly. Thanks to this, now you are more aware of the humidity, temperature and precipitation of this country, which means that you will become a more interesting conversationalist who can support any conversation.