Climatic conditions over the territory of Russia.

Russia is described by the considerable spatial heterogeneity and pronounced regional character of meteorological processes that are accounted for by a wide range of natural conditions and climatic zones.

In 2003 weather was analyzed for both the total territory and seven quasi-homogeneous climatic regions of Russia (I – the northern part of European Russia and Western Siberia, II – the northern part of Eastern Siberia and Yakutia, III – Chukotka and Kamchatka, IV – the central and southern parts of European Russia, V – the central and southern parts of Western Siberia, VI the central and southern parts of Eastern Siberia, VII – the Far East.

2003 appeared to be generally warm in Russia. The anomalies of mean annual air temperature averaged over the territory of Russia amounted to 1.2⁰C ( Fig.1).

Early in the year (January) positive air temperature anomalies prevailed over the entire territory of the country with the exception of the northern and northwestern parts of European Russia.

February was reported very warm in Siberia and in the northwest of European Russia. At the Cola peninsula the mean monthly air temperature exceeded the norm by 6-7⁰C. In the Taimyr Autonomous Area severe frosts of – 42-50⁰C persisted for a long period and the mean monthly air temperature appeared to be 3-4⁰C below the norm.

In March the cyclonic weather dominated in the north of European Russia to ensure positive temperature anomalies and trigger abundant precipitation and storm winds. The coast of Murmansk experienced the wind speeds of 26-34 m/s virtually throughout the third ten-day period of March. In the central and southern parts of European Russia March was colder than usual by 1-2⁰C. Over the entire territory of the Far East, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Transbaikalia the mean monthly temperature was much above the norm. The strong centers of warmth appeared in the northwest of the Yakutia-Sakha Republic and in the west of the Chukotka Autonomous Area, where temperature anomalies amounted to 7⁰ and 10⁰ C respectively.

In April no significant departures from the norm were recorded. Cool weather prevailed in European Russia with ground and air frosts at night in some regions. In the North Caucasus and the Lower Volga it was particularly cold with the mean monthly temperature to be 2-3⁰C below the norm. Despite the precipitation deficit (12-28% of the monthly norm) ice jams were formed on rivers of the Volgograd Region due to the sharp temperature rise in the second ten-day period. Vigorous spring flood began on small rivers of the Rostov Region. On most of Western Siberia, the Krasnodar Territory, the Irkutsk Region, Transbaikalia and the Far East April was warm.

In late spring on most of the territory of Russia it was warmer than usual (in European Russia temperature was 2⁰C above the norm on the average and in the central parts of the Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Areas as well as in Chukotka it exceeded the norm by 4-5⁰C). High air temperature together with the lack of rainfall posed a serious threat of wildfires in the Irkutsk Region and Transbaikalia. Smoke reduced the visibility in Chita to 300 m. The precipitation deficit brought a risk of wildfires to the Maritime Territory and the south of Sakhalin. Difficult hydrological conditions were encountered on the Upper and Middle Amur. The water level there was the lowest in the 100-year instrumental record.

June was very cold in European Russia. It was one of the coldest months of June experienced here in the last 100 years (Fig. 2) with the mean monthly temperature 3-4⁰C below the norm on most of the territory. Some stations (Arkhangelsk, Volgograd) recorded the record low temperature. In the first ten-day period light frosts were experienced everywhere. Cold weather was accompanied by frequent and lasting rains. The Ural, Volga-Vyatka and Volga regions as well as the north of the Central region saw over 200% of the monthly precipitation norm. On 4 June in Cheboksary there was a heavy snowfall and wet snow loading that broke branches of trees and power cables. By contrast, in Western Siberia June was warm particularly in the western regions where the mean monthly air temperature anomalies exceeded 5⁰C. In the west of the Krasnoyarsk Territory the mean monthly air temperature was 4-5⁰C above the norm.

July was warm on most of Russia with the above normal mean monthly temperature. Warm and dry weather led to the extreme fire danger in the continental areas of the Magadan Region, in the Republic of Tuva and Kamchatka.

August of 2003 appeared to be one of the hottest on the territory of Russia in the last 100 years. On the European territory the centre of warmth was in the northwest. The Republic of Komi and the Nenets Autonomous Area reported the mean monthly air temperature anomalies of 4-5⁰C (Fig.3). August of 2003 will go down in history as one of the “wettest” months. At many stations not only monthly but also daily precipitation records were beaten. For instance on 13 August Moscow saw the record-breaking daily amount of precipitation of 59 mm (with the monthly norm of 77 mm). In the north of Western Siberia strong centers of warmth appeared due to the high-pressure ridge in the troposphere. The record high temperature anomalies were recorded in Salekhard, Khanty-Mansiysk, Naryan-Mar.

In the early autumn temperature anomalies on most of Russia were insignificant, only in the north of the Far East the weather was very warm (Fig.2). In September Oimyakon, Anadyr and Ambarchik had record high departures from the norm. High temperatures and a significant lack of rainfall led to extensive wildfires in the continental areas of the Magadan Region.

In October air temperature was above the long-term average actually on the entire territory of Russia. Maximum temperature anomalies were noted in the north of the Magadan Region (more than 8⁰C) and in the Middle Ural (3-4.5⁰C). In the south of European Russia October was very rainy. Some areas of the Volgograd Region, Astrakhan Region and Stavropol Territory saw 300% of the monthly precipitation norm. In the central and southern parts of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and in the Republics of Khakasia and Tuva the first ten-day period was very nasty. On 6-7 October in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and on 7-8 October in the Republic of Tuva there was a cold snap accompanied by snowfall, glazed ice and strong wind of 15-20 m/s. A temporary snow cover appeared.

In November it was cold in Siberia (in the Krasnoyarsk Territory the cold anomalies were as high as – 6⁰C) but in the European part and in the east (Yakutia, Chukotka, Kamchatka) of the country temperatures were warmer that the long term average.

The end of 2003 for Russia as a whole was record warm. At meteorological stations located in the centers of warm anomalies air temperature in December 2003 was the highest since instrument records began (Fig.4).