climate of Azerbaijan

The Climate of Azerbaijan is unique, nine of the Earth's eleven climate zones can be found in Azerbaijan.[1].

Climate forming

Azerbaijan is situated on northern extremity of the subtropical zone, south-eastern Caucasus and north-western part of Iran plateau. Its climatic diversity is caused by the complicate geographical location and landscape, the proximity of the Caspian Sea, the effect of sun's radiation, air masses of different origin, etc.

Landscape

The Agdam Forest.

As a predominantly mountainous country, Azerbaijan is surrounded by the Major Caucasus, Minor Caucasus, Talysh and North Iranian Mountains. The Kur lowland between the Major and Minor Caucasus, stretches to the Caspian Sea in the eastern part of the country. The Major Caucasus, situated in the north of the country and stretching from the north-west to the south-east, protects the country from direct influences of cold air masses, coming from the north. That leads to the formation of subtropical climate on most foothills and plains of the country. Other mountain chains, surrounding the country also have a great impact on air circulation. The complexity of a landscape causes nonuniform formation of climatic zones and creates vertical climate zones, etc.

Solar Radiation

Sunsets in Azerbaijan are often very colorful.

Plains and foothills are characterized by high solar radiation rates. The sun shines for 2200-2400 hours a year on the Kur-Araz lowland, Apsheron peninsula and other plains and foothills, while the indicator totals 2600-2800 in the plains around Araz in the Nakhchivan. Due to increased cloudiness in the mountainous regions, only 1900-2200 hours per year are sunshining.

The sun is bright during 2200-2500 hours a year at the altitude of over 3,000 meters. The total annual radiation equals 128-132 kilocalorie per 1 sq. cm. It declines towards the mountains (down to 120-124 kcal-cm2 , at a height of 500-600 meters above sea level), then gradually increases and reaches 140-150 kcal-cm2 at a height above 3000 meters of Major and Minor Caucasus.

The total amount of solar radiation affecting Araz plains in Nakhchivan totals 148-150 kcal-cm2, it increases in mountains and reaches 152-160 kcal-cm2. The radiation on the country's plains and foothills amounts to 40-50 kcal-cm2 (in Lenkoran -50-60 kcal-cm2, in mountains-15-25 kcal-cm2.

Circulation of air masses

The formation of climate in Azerbaijan is influenced by cold air masses of arctic (Kara and Scandinavian anticyclones) and temperate (Siberian anticyclones) and maritime (Azores maximum), hot air masses of tropical zones (subtropical anticyclone and southern cyclones), Central Asian anticyclones and local weather conditions. Regarding landscape diversity in Azerbaijan, air masses have different ways to enter the country. Thus, cold continental and maritime air masses though not preventing the hot masses from entering Azerbaijan from the south yet cause changes in some properties of hot air masses and influence the dynamics of atmosphere conditions.

Major aspects

Some of the major aspects that influence the landscape and climate of Azerbaijan is the temperature, precipitation, humidity, evaporation and cloudiness.

Temperature

The temperature regime and its distribution throughout Azerbaijan is regular and depends on the features of air masses, entering to the country, the regional landscape and proximity to the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea causes temperatures in the maritime areas (20 km away from the sea) to decline in the summer and raises it in the winter. At the same time it relatively softens the influence of hot and dry air masses coming from Central Asia. The average annual temperature totals 14-15 C in the Kur-Araz lowland, the coastal regions south to the Apsheron peninsula and in Lenkoran lowland. The temperature declines in the direction to mountains and amounts to 4-5 C at a height of 2000 meters and 1-2 C at 3000 meters height.

Climate types

Taking into consideration distribution and features of regime of weather temperature and atmosphere precipitations, as well humidity circumstance in Azerbaijan, 9 of 11 climate patterns of the Earth (according to V.V.Keppen) are determined here. Many of these patterns are divided into semi-types.

1. Semi-desert and dry steppe climate covers mainly Central lowland districts (fields in Kur concavity, height of which is up to 400 m), Caspian zone from end of Samur River to Gizilagaj gulf, plains of Nakhchivan along the Araz river, closed mountainous concavities of Talish Mountains (from 1000 m). Annual precipitations make 15-50% of possible evaporation. Winter is mostly hot (cold in plains along the Araz River and closed mountainous concavities of Talish Mountains). Summer is red-hot, some days temperature is higher than 40 degree.
2. Semi-desert and dry steppe climate with cold winter and dry hot climate.
3. Mild-hot climate, winter if which is dry, covers lower mountainous zone (in height up to 1000 m) of south hills of Great Caucasus, Ganikh-Eyrichay concavity (200-500 m), north and east hills of Small Caucasus (in height of 400-1500 m). Annual precipitations make 50-100% of possible evaporation. Winter is mild, with low precipitations, summer is mild-hot.
4. Mild-hot climate with dry summer. Mostly covers Lankaran-Astara region. Annual precipitations make 100-150% and more of possible evaporation. Winter is mild, summer is mild-hot and dry, autumn with high precipitations. It rains less from May till mid of August and this season is dry often, artificial irrigation is applied.
5. Cold climate with dry winter covers south-east hills of Great Caucasus (1000-2700 m) and middle and high mountainous parts of Small Caucasus (1400-2700 m). Annual precipitations make 75-100% of possible evaporation. Summer is cool, winter is mild.
6. Cold climate with dry summer. Covers middle and high mountainous area of Nakhchivan AR (1000-3000 m). Annual precipitations make 50-100% of possible evaporation. Winter is cold and snowy, summer is cool.
7. Mild-hot climate with equal distribution of precipitations covers mountainous forestlands in south (600-1500 m) and north-east (200-500 m) hills of Great Caucasus. Annual precipitations make 75-100% of possible evaporation in south hills and 50-100% in north-east hills. Winter is mild, summer is mild-hot.
8. Cold climate with rich precipitations in all seasons is characteristic for south hills of Great Caucasus only (1500-2700 m). Covers upper forest, subalpine and alpine zones. Annual precipitations are more than 150-200% of possible evaporation. Winter is cold, summer is cool.
9. Mountainous tundra climate covers the areas of Great and Small Caucasus higher than 2700 m and of Nakhchivan higher than 3200 m. Annual precipitations are more than 100-200% of possible evaporation. Winter and summer are cold. In some places snow does not melt till the next winter.

Sea also

• Nature of Azerbaijan

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