Climate of Bulgaria

By Ivana Hristova
 1. Definition
• Climate is a natural phenomenon that occurs during the close
interaction between radiation, circulation and natural
geographical processes in a given territory or a place.
• It is the perennial component of the weather and an important
component of the environment.
• Climate has great importance for the development of
agriculture, transport, tourism, open -cast mines, construction
and industry.
• It has strong impact on others natural components - water,
soil, flora and fauna.
 2. Climatic factors
• 2.1. Geographical location in relation to the general
atmospheric circulation.
• A) Air masses
• Tropical - (invading from the South)
• Polar air masses (inviding from the North-East)
• Continental air masses of temperate latitudes (from the
North-East)
• Humid (Oceanic) air masses - from the Atlantic Ocean
(from the West)
• B) Cyclones (they are formed over the water
basins)
• Icelandic minimum - it is responsible for the maximum
of the rainfall in May - June in the Danube plain,
Srednogorie and Kraishte.
• Mediterranean cyclone - formed in the Gulf of Genoa
(Italy). It is the reason for the autumn-winter maximum
of rainfall in Southeastern Bulgaria.
• C) Anticyclones - (they are formed over the
land)
• Azores maximum - high temperatures and sunny
weather in the summer
• Eastern European maximum - low temperatures
and sunny weather in the winter.
• 2.2 Solar radiation
• Theoretically, the sunshine for our geographical latitude
should be 4500 hours in the year, but in reality the
average annual sunshine is 2400 hours (for Sandanski-
Petrich felsd - 2500 hours).
• Sunshine is unevenly distributed in time and place.
• Days without sunshine from 42 in Sandaski - Petrich field
to 106 days in Lom, Mt. Botev, Mt. Vihren.
• 2.3. Relief influences over the climate through:

• Altitude
• Montain ranges
• Foehn effect
• The hollow character of the relief
• The valley character of the relief
• Water basins
3. Climatic elements
A) Temperature
• The average annual air temperature for the country is
(+10.5⁰C).
• The maximum average annual temperature in Sandaski -
Petrich field (+13.9⁰C).
• The minimum average annual temperature at Mount
Musala (-3⁰C).
• The absolute minimum temperature was measured in
Tran (-38.3⁰C) in 1947.
• The absolute maximum temperature was measured in
Sadovo (+45.2⁰C) in 1916.
 B) Precipitation
• The average annual precipitation in Bulgaria is about 670
mm/m²
• In the plains and lowlands - about 450-480 mm and in the
mountains 850-1200 mm
• The least precipitation 450 mm falls in the eastern parts of
Dobrudzha, Bourgas lowland, Lom, Oryahovska Zlatia and in
the Pazardzhik-Plovdiv field 500 mm.
• The larest annual rainfall was measured in the valley of the
river Dalgodelska Ogosta at 2293 mm in 1957.
• The highest daily rainfal in the resort St. Constantine and
Helena - 342 mm in August 1951.
• Snow cover
• - 40-50 days in the Northern Bulgaria
• - up to 1 month in the Souhern Bulgaria
• - 6-9 months in the mountains
• In the Sandaski-Petrich field and the Black Sea coast, not
every winter does snowfall.
• C) Cloudiness - it is measured in points (балове) and
varies from 1 to 10.
• Station Ivailovgrad - the maximum number of clear days
per year - 114.
• More cloudy days in the mountains.
D) Winds
• Average speed is from 1 to 2.5 m/s.
• higher speed in the mountains.
• Windiest places - Mt. Murgash and Mt. Botev - over 10
m/s.
• Local winds - foehn, bora
• Periodical winds - the mountainous - valley winds
(Dolnyak , Gornyak), breezes.
4. Negative climatic phenomena
• Late spring and early autumn frosts
• Temperature inversions
• Droughts
• Fogs
• Hails
• Willy-willy storms
• Human activity
5. Climatic zones
 5.1. Temperate continental climatic zone
• The zone occupies the Danube plain, the Predbalkan, the
Western and Central Stara planina, the valleys of Kraishte,
the Vitosha, the Ihtiman and Central Sredna gora mountain.
This zone is characterized by hot summer (average +25⁰C),
cold winter (average 0-1.5⁰C), big temperature amplitude
(24-25⁰C), average annual temperature (+10,+11⁰C), spring-
summer precipitation maximum and winter minimum,
relatively stable snow cover. The average annual precipitation
500 - 1000 mm. In this zone there are favourable conditions
for growing cereals, viticulture and fruits. The absolute
temperature minimum is measured in this zone -Station Tran
(-38.3⁰C).
 5.2. Transitional - continental climatic zone
This zone includes the Kjustendil field, the mountains - Konyavska,
Osogovo, Zemenska, low slopes of Rila, the southeast part of Sredna
Gora, the Eastern Zadbalkanski fields, the Upper-Thracian valley, the
Eastern Stara Planina, the valley of river Tundzha, - Yambol and Elhovo
field. This climatic zone is characterized by warm summer and mild
winter, there are 2 maximum (May - June and November-December) and
2 minimum (August and February) of precipitation. The average
temperature in January is (-1.5 - +1.5⁰C), the average temperature in July
is +22, +24⁰C. The temperature amplitude is 22-25 ⁰. The average
precipitation from 500 mm in the lowland to 1200 mm in the mountains.
In the high fields are typical temperature inversions. The absolute
temperature maximum is measured here in Sadovo +45.2 ⁰C in 1916. The
zone has suitable conditions for cultivation of tobacco, poppy, anuse,
mint, lavender, rose, cereals, rice, vegetables, viticulture, fruit-growing.
 5.3. Continental - Mediterranean zone
This zone occupies the valley of Struma river, the southern parts of Rila,
Pirin and the valley of Mesta river, the south -eastern valleys of Maritsa
river, Sakar and Strandzha mountains. General characteristics of this
climatic zones are warm summer, mild winter, autumnal-winter maximum
of precipitation (November-December) and summer minimum (July and
August). Temperature amplitude is low 21-22 ⁰C. The Mediterranean
influence reflects the high average temperatures in the zone (13-14 ⁰C).
The precipitation sum varies from 520 mm in Sandanski-Petrich field to
1000 mm in Strandzha. Droughts occur often in the months July, August
and September. This zone has suitable conditions for cultivation of
tobacco, vines, mulberries, cotton, as well as conditions for the
development of silk culture.
 5.4. Black Sea climatic zone
It occupies a narrow strip from the coastline (30-50 km).
Average annual temperature is +12-12.7⁰C. Average January
temperature is positive +0.8⁰C for the north shore and 3.2⁰C for
the south shore. Low amplitudes (20-21⁰C) The precipitation
varies from 500 mm to 900 mm from the North to the South.
The snow cover lasts 2-4 weeks to the North to 4-5 days to the
South. The breeze circulation in the summer makes the zone a
preferable destination for tourism, in the winter north and north-
east winds are reason for formation of very strong breaking
waves specially in the North Black Sea shore. The area is
suitable for growing of grapes, fruits, vegetables, sunflower,
cotton, sugar beet and cereals.
 5.5. Mountainous climatic zone
It occupies all mountains from altitude 1200 m. The
temperature is characterized by low magnitudes
(averagely from -3 to +15-16⁰C. The summer is cool, the
winter is cold and snow cover lasts more than 5 months.
The highest peaks are characterized by very strong
winds (more than 10 m/s speed). This zone is suitable
for livestock farming, electricity, growing potatoes, rye,
etc.
Thank you for your attention!
END :)