Partially landlocked and partly coastal; Azerbaijan
features a diverse range a climatic variances in both temperature and
precipitation. With countries such as Iran,
Russia, Georgia and Armenia
surrounding the region of Azerbaijan,
it’s no wonder the country itself experiences such a widespread diversity of
typical weather forecasts.
The expected climatic circumstances of Azerbaijan are
indeed distinctive, with nine of the earth’s eleven climatic zones found in the
one country! The majority of the Azerbaijan region features a
subtropical climate, however it due to great variation in altitude and weather
conditions, the climate diverges right throughout the country.
Azerbaijan
is located on the northern boundary of the subtropical zone, southern Caucasus
and north western area of the Iran
lowland. The country’s climatic multiplicity is factored by the obscure
environmental positioning and landscape, the propinquity with the Caspian Sea, the difference of origins in air masses and
the consequences of the sun’s solar radiation.
Summertime in Azerbaijan is typically very dry
and very mild, particularly in eastern and central areas of the district. The
coastal region of the Caspian Sea features
very minimal rain; therefore the majority of the area is very desert like.
Lankaran Lowland; located at the most southern point of the country is the
wettest region of Azerbaijan that experiences quite a vast amount of rainfall
and the typical climate is generally always humid. Nevertheless, the typical
weather in other areas is subject to the current altitude. Given this, the
areas that are located farthest southwest of Azerbaijan are situated a fair
amount below sea level, experiences very hot and very long summers. Further
inland however, throughout the mountainous regions and just at the foot of the
highlands temperatures are rather cold to mild. Altitudes greater than 3050m
feature very low climates and the mountains roads and tracks are closed for
various months throughout the year due to snowy and icy conditions.
Landscape
Located in a region with primary surroundings of highland;
Azerbaijan is home to mountains such as Major Caucasus, Talysh, Minor Caucasus
and the North Iranian Mountains. The foot lowland located in the middle of the
Major and Minor Caucasus extends to as far as the Caspian Sea in the east of Azerbaijan.
Located in the northern end of the country The Major Caucasus stretches from
the south-east to the north-west, sheltering the entire country from any windy
gusts of cold air masses, directed from the north. This then develops into the construction
of the various subtropical climates throughout the country; mostly on foothills
and lowlands of the Azerbaijan.
Other numerous highland chains, neighbouring the country, also have a great
influence on the air circulation and its effects on everyday climates. The density
of the country’s current landscape results in non-uniform arrangement of
climatic regions and also generates vertical climate zones.
Solar Radiation
The lowland and mountainous areas of Azerbaijan are subject to the
density and power of solar radiation levels. With average sunlight in the
lowland area of Kur-Araz ranging between 2200 to 2400 hours per year, the Apsheron
peninsula and other plateaus and foothills nearby the plains of Araz in the
Nakhchivan occasionally exceed 2600 to 2800 of sunshine hours per year. Because
of the influence of low lying clouds in the highland regions, only 1900 to 2200
hours of sunlight is visible per year.
At the altitude of 3000 meters the sun shines brightly throughout
2200 to 2500 hours per year, equalling a total amount of 128 to 132 kcal
(kilocalorie) per 1sq cm every year. As the elevation of the mountains decrease
so does the amount of sunshine falling down to 120 to 124 kcal-cm², while being
at a height of 500 to 600 metres above sea level. This will then progressively ascend
as the level reaches 140 to 150 kcal-cm² at an altitude of over 3000 metres
over the Major and Minor Caucasus.
The quantity of solarium emission released throughout the
Araz plateau in Nakhchivan equals 148 to 150 kcal-cm², and inclines throughout
the mountainous areas as it reaches 152 to 160 kcal-cm²; generally in Lenkoran
50 to 60 kcal-cm² and in the mountains 15 to 25 kcal-cm².
Air Masses
The typical climate of Azerbaijan if formed by the authority
of cold air masses of artic; Scandinavian and Kara anti-cyclones, maritime;
Azores maximum, and temperate; Siberian anti-cyclones. Nevertheless hot air
masses of the tropical regions (southern cyclones and subtropical
anti-cyclones) form Central Asian anti-cyclones and this generates the current restricted
weather circumstances. In regards to landscape, assortment in Azerbaijan
typical air masses has various ways to enter the environment and surrounding
land. Therefore, although not stopping the hot masses from entering Azerbaijan, the
cold continental and maritime air masses from the south still alter various
features of the hot air masses and influence the vivacious of atmospheric
conditions.
Climate types
- A semi-desert
and very dry climate that covers the majority of the innermost low lying
land regions. 15 to 50 percent of the annual conversation of rainfall is evaporated.
Winter, however is mostly hot, but summer is very hot with occasional days
seeing temperatures higher than 40ºC
- A
semi-desert and dried out climate that typically experiences cold winters
and extensive, hot, dry summers.
- A
mild to hot climate. The lower mountainous areas feature very dry winters,
but are also quite cold. Annual rainfall levels create anywhere from 50 to
100 percent of possible evaporation. Winters throughout the country are generally
placid and mild, with a low average rainfall and summers are mild to hot.
- A mild to hot climate with very dry
summers and mild winters. Autumn is the season that generally experiences the
highest amount of precipitation, but it rains less from May until the end
of August.
- A
cold climate with dry mild winters and cool summers.
- A
cold climate with dry, cool summers and cold winters. The majority of precipitation
obtained throughout the winter is in the form of snow. While the remainder
of the year is relatively dry.
- A
mild to hot climate with equivalent sharing of rainfall the covers all
areas of the country. Winter is mild and summers are mild to hot.
- A
cold climate is a fair distribution of precipitation throughout all
season. Winter is generally cold and summers are mild.
- Areas
higher then 2700m of elevation. Both winter and summers are cold and in
most places snow is present all year round.
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