Theclimate of Azerbaijan is very diverse. Nine out of eleven existingclimate zones are present inAzerbaijan.[1]
Azerbaijan is situated on the northern extremity of thesubtropical zone, in the southeastern part of theCaucasus and the northwestern part of theIranian plateau. The complicated geographical location and landscape, the proximity of theCaspian Sea, the effect of the sun's radiation, air masses of different origin, etc., contribute to its climatological diversity.[2][3]
As a predominantly mountainous country, Azerbaijan is surrounded by theGreater Caucasus,Lesser Caucasus,Talysh and North Iranian Mountains. TheKur-Araz Lowland, between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, stretches to theCaspian Sea in the eastern part of the country. The Greater Caucasus, situated in the north of the country and stretching from the northwest to the southeast, protects the country from direct influences of northern cold air masses. That leads to the formation of asubtropical climate on most of the foothills and plains of the country. Other mountain chains surrounding the country also impact air circulation. The complexity of the landscape causes nonuniform formation of climatic zones and creates vertical climate zones.[2]
The Azerbaijani plains and foothills have highinsolation rates. The sun shines for 2,200 to 2,400 hours annually on the Kur-Araz lowland,Apsheron peninsula and other plains and foothills, and 2,600 to 2,800 hours on the plains around theAraz river in theNakhchivan region. Due to increased cloudiness in the mountainous regions, those areas receive only 1,900 to 2,200 hours of direct sunlight.[2]
Bright sun shines 2,200 to 2,500 hours a year at altitudes over 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). The total annual radiation equals 128–132kcal/cm2 (118–122kWh/ft2). Toward the mountains, it declines to 120–124 kcal/cm2 (109–113 kWh/ft2), at an altitude of 500 to 600 meters (1,600 to 2,000 ft) above sea level, then gradually increases and reaches 140–150 kcal/cm2 (129–139 kWh/ft2) at altitudes above 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus.[2]
The total amount of solar radiation affecting the Araz plains in Nakhchivan totals 148–150 kcal/cm2 (137–139 kWh/ft2). It increases in the mountains, reaching 152–160 kcal/cm2 (140–148 kWh/ft2). The solar radiation on the country's plains and foothills amounts to 40–50 kcal/cm2 (37–46 kWh/ft2); in Lenkoran, 50–60 kcal/cm2 (46–55 kWh/ft2); in the mountains, 15–25 kcal/cm2 (14–23 kWh/ft2).[2]
Climate formation in Azerbaijan is influenced by variousair masses. Cold air masses, such as the Kara andScandinavian arctic anticyclones, the temperate Siberian anticyclones, and the maritime Azores maximum influence the climate. Likewise, tropical hot air masses (subtropical anticyclone and southern cyclones), as well as Central Asiananticyclones and local weather conditions, have influence. These air masses enter the country in different ways thanks to its varied geography. Thus, although they do not prevent the hot masses from entering Azerbaijan from the south, cold continental and maritime air masses cause changes in properties of those hot air masses, and influence the dynamics of the atmosphere .[2]
Some of the major influences on Azerbaijan's climate aretemperature,precipitation,humidity, rate ofevaporation, andcloud cover.
The temperature regime and its distribution throughout Azerbaijan is regular, and depends on the features of air masses entering the country, the regional landscape, and proximity to the Caspian Sea. The sea causes temperatures in the maritime areas (20 kilometres or 12 miles away from the sea) to decline in thesummer and rise in thewinter. At the same time, the sea moderates the influence of hot and dry air masses coming from Central Asia. The average annual temperature is 14–15 °C (57–59 °F) in theKur-Araz Lowland, the coastal regions south to theApsheron Peninsula, and in theLenkoran Lowland. The temperature declines with proximity to the mountains, averaging 4–5 °C (39–41 °F) at an altitude of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft), and 1–2 °C (34–36 °F) at 3,000 meters (9,800 ft).
Both the absolute minimum temperature (−33 °C or −27.4 °F) and the absolute maximum temperature (46 °C or 114.8 °F) were observed inJulfa andOrdubad.[1]
| Climate data for Baku | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 20.4 (68.7) | 21.8 (71.2) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.8 (82.0) | 35.0 (95.0) | 40.5 (104.9) | 42.7 (108.9) | 41.9 (107.4) | 39.4 (102.9) | 30.1 (86.2) | 25.0 (77.0) | 26.0 (78.8) | 42.7 (108.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 6.6 (43.9) | 6.3 (43.3) | 9.8 (49.6) | 16.4 (61.5) | 22.1 (71.8) | 27.3 (81.1) | 30.6 (87.1) | 29.7 (85.5) | 25.6 (78.1) | 19.6 (67.3) | 13.5 (56.3) | 9.7 (49.5) | 18.1 (64.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.4 (39.9) | 4.2 (39.6) | 7.0 (44.6) | 12.9 (55.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.3 (79.3) | 22.5 (72.5) | 16.6 (61.9) | 11.2 (52.2) | 7.3 (45.1) | 15.1 (59.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | 4.2 (39.6) | 9.4 (48.9) | 14.9 (58.8) | 19.7 (67.5) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.9 (73.2) | 19.4 (66.9) | 13.6 (56.5) | 8.8 (47.8) | 4.8 (40.6) | 12.0 (53.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.7 (7.3) | −8.4 (16.9) | −7.0 (19.4) | −6.1 (21.0) | 0.2 (32.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 11.2 (52.2) | 11.9 (53.4) | 9.1 (48.4) | 1.2 (34.2) | −2.8 (27.0) | −5.5 (22.1) | −13.7 (7.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 21 (0.8) | 20 (0.8) | 21 (0.8) | 18 (0.7) | 18 (0.7) | 8 (0.3) | 2 (0.1) | 6 (0.2) | 15 (0.6) | 25 (1.0) | 30 (1.2) | 26 (1.0) | 210 (8.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 49 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 1 cm) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 89.9 | 89.0 | 124.0 | 195.0 | 257.3 | 294.0 | 313.1 | 282.1 | 222.0 | 145.7 | 93.0 | 102.3 | 2,207.4 |
| Source 1:World Meteorological Organisation (UN),[4]Hong Kong Observatory[5]for data of sunshine hours | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meoweather (Snowy days)[6] infoclimat.fr (extremes)[7][better source needed] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Nakhchivan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.8 (33.4) | 4.0 (39.2) | 12.3 (54.1) | 20.1 (68.2) | 24.7 (76.5) | 29.5 (85.1) | 34.7 (94.5) | 33.7 (92.7) | 30.1 (86.2) | 21.9 (71.4) | 12.6 (54.7) | 5.1 (41.2) | 19.1 (66.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) | −0.5 (31.1) | 5.4 (41.7) | 12.4 (54.3) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.2 (79.2) | 21.9 (71.4) | 14.1 (57.4) | 6.5 (43.7) | 0.9 (33.6) | 12.5 (54.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.8 (19.8) | −4.3 (24.3) | 1.0 (33.8) | 7.4 (45.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 15.9 (60.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 18.7 (65.7) | 14.7 (58.5) | 8.2 (46.8) | 2.3 (36.1) | −2.5 (27.5) | 7.2 (45.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 19 (0.7) | 18 (0.7) | 29 (1.1) | 38 (1.5) | 36 (1.4) | 30 (1.2) | 17 (0.7) | 8 (0.3) | 11 (0.4) | 26 (1.0) | 20 (0.8) | 15 (0.6) | 267 (10.5) |
| Average precipitation days | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 55 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 82.9 | 117.3 | 188.3 | 202.6 | 254.5 | 324.0 | 364.4 | 338.7 | 302.5 | 215.6 | 148.1 | 121.1 | 2,660 |
| Source: NOAA[8] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Ganja (1981–2010, extremes 1890–2014) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.8 (73.0) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.0 (82.4) | 35.6 (96.1) | 39.5 (103.1) | 39.2 (102.6) | 42.0 (107.6) | 41.7 (107.1) | 38.8 (101.8) | 33.4 (92.1) | 28.0 (82.4) | 23.3 (73.9) | 42.0 (107.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) | 8.2 (46.8) | 12.7 (54.9) | 18.7 (65.7) | 23.4 (74.1) | 28.7 (83.7) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.1 (88.0) | 26.3 (79.3) | 19.5 (67.1) | 12.9 (55.2) | 8.4 (47.1) | 19.0 (66.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.2 (37.8) | 3.9 (39.0) | 7.8 (46.0) | 13.4 (56.1) | 18.1 (64.6) | 23.2 (73.8) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.6 (78.1) | 21.1 (70.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 4.7 (40.5) | 14.3 (57.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) | 1.0 (33.8) | 4.3 (39.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 13.8 (56.8) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.4 (70.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 16.8 (62.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 6.2 (43.2) | 2.1 (35.8) | 10.6 (51.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −17.8 (0.0) | −15.2 (4.6) | −12.0 (10.4) | −4.4 (24.1) | 1.5 (34.7) | 5.8 (42.4) | 10.1 (50.2) | 10.5 (50.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | −1.3 (29.7) | −7.9 (17.8) | −13.0 (8.6) | −17.8 (0.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 8 (0.3) | 12 (0.5) | 24 (0.9) | 31 (1.2) | 40 (1.6) | 32 (1.3) | 17 (0.7) | 15 (0.6) | 15 (0.6) | 24 (0.9) | 16 (0.6) | 7 (0.3) | 241 (9.5) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 76.0 |
| Average rainy days | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 63 |
| Average snowy days | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 71 | 71 | 68 | 70 | 68 | 61 | 59 | 61 | 65 | 74 | 76 | 74 | 68 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 120 | 113 | 141 | 182 | 229 | 267 | 278 | 252 | 212 | 168 | 123 | 115 | 2,200 |
| Source 1:Deutscher Wetterdienst (sun, 1961-1990)[9][10][a] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Pogoda.ru.net[11] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Lenkaran | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 7.2 (45.0) | 11.0 (51.8) | 17.5 (63.5) | 22.5 (72.5) | 27.2 (81.0) | 30.4 (86.7) | 29.5 (85.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 19.9 (67.8) | 14.1 (57.4) | 10.1 (50.2) | 18.5 (65.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) | 1.0 (33.8) | 3.9 (39.0) | 8.6 (47.5) | 13.1 (55.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.7 (67.5) | 16.9 (62.4) | 11.8 (53.2) | 6.7 (44.1) | 2.5 (36.5) | 10.2 (50.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 91 (3.6) | 114 (4.5) | 90 (3.5) | 50 (2.0) | 54 (2.1) | 22 (0.9) | 17 (0.7) | 50 (2.0) | 143 (5.6) | 259 (10.2) | 168 (6.6) | 88 (3.5) | 1,146 (45.2) |
| Average precipitation days | 10 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 97 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 105.4 | 98.9 | 124.0 | 171.0 | 226.3 | 282.0 | 306.9 | 254.2 | 189.0 | 127.1 | 99.0 | 108.5 | 2,092.3 |
| Source 1:World Meteorological Organization (UN)[12] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Hong Kong Observatory(sun only)[13] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Mingachevir | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.1 (44.8) | 8.6 (47.5) | 12.9 (55.2) | 20.9 (69.6) | 26.0 (78.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 33.9 (93.0) | 32.6 (90.7) | 28.4 (83.1) | 21.0 (69.8) | 14.4 (57.9) | 9.3 (48.7) | 20.4 (68.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) | −3.0 (26.6) | 4.0 (39.2) | 9.3 (48.7) | 14.2 (57.6) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.6 (70.9) | 20.6 (69.1) | 17.0 (62.6) | 11.1 (52.0) | 6.2 (43.2) | 1.4 (34.5) | 9.8 (49.6) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 19 (0.7) | 25 (1.0) | 27 (1.1) | 39 (1.5) | 54 (2.1) | 49 (1.9) | 26 (1.0) | 27 (1.1) | 26 (1.0) | 53 (2.1) | 30 (1.2) | 22 (0.9) | 397 (15.6) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[14] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Khankendi | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.7 (40.5) | 5.2 (41.4) | 9.0 (48.2) | 16.1 (61.0) | 19.5 (67.1) | 24.5 (76.1) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.1 (80.8) | 23.2 (73.8) | 16.4 (61.5) | 11.4 (52.5) | 7.3 (45.1) | 16.0 (60.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) | 1.4 (34.5) | 5.1 (41.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.3 (59.5) | 19.8 (67.6) | 23.3 (73.9) | 22.3 (72.1) | 18.7 (65.7) | 12.6 (54.7) | 7.7 (45.9) | 3.7 (38.7) | 11.9 (53.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.6 (27.3) | −2.5 (27.5) | 1.1 (34.0) | 7.0 (44.6) | 11.0 (51.8) | 15.1 (59.2) | 18.4 (65.1) | 17.4 (63.3) | 14.2 (57.6) | 8.7 (47.7) | 4.0 (39.2) | 0.1 (32.2) | 7.7 (45.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 19 (0.7) | 25 (1.0) | 42 (1.7) | 49 (1.9) | 102 (4.0) | 79 (3.1) | 41 (1.6) | 27 (1.1) | 34 (1.3) | 39 (1.5) | 35 (1.4) | 13 (0.5) | 505 (19.9) |
| Average precipitation days | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 85 |
| Source: NOAA[15] | |||||||||||||
The maximum annualprecipitation falls inLankaran (1,600 to 1,800 mm or 63 to 71 in) and the minimum in theAbsheron Peninsula (200 to 350 mm or 7.9 to 13.8 in).[1]
Considering the distribution and features of the weather, temperature, humidity, and precipitation, nine out of the 11 climate patterns in theKöppen climate classification can be found in Azerbaijan. Many of these patterns are divided into subtypes.[3]
Medium-range estimates of Arctic carbon emissions could result from moderate climate emission mitigation policies that keep global warming below 3°C (e.g., RCP4.5). This global warming level most closely matches country emissions reduction pledges made for the Paris Climate Agreement...
"The IPCC doesn't make projections about which of these scenarios is more likely, but other researchers and modellers can.The Australian Academy of Science, for instance, released a report last year stating that our current emissions trajectory had us headed for a 3°C warmer world, roughly in line with the middle scenario.Climate Action Tracker predicts 2.5 to 2.9°C of warming based on current policies and action, with pledges and government agreements taking this to 2.1°C.
