Climate, waters and soils
3rd lecture from the course “Topography of the Balkan Peninsula”
1. Climate of the Balkan Peninsula
Climate is the long-term weather regime characteristic of a given place. Meteorological
weather is the physical state of the atmosphere over a given territory. The weather
changes constantly, but over a long period, recurring conditions are observed that
characterize the climate of a given region. It determines the formation and changes in
other natural components and is an important natural resource - it determines the
development of agriculture, etc.
The climate of the Balkan Peninsula is diverse, the factors are: geographical location,
solar radiation, nature of atmospheric circulation, bedding surface, relief. The peninsula
falls into the temperate thermal belt of the Earth. The radiation balance is positive
throughout the year only in the southern regions, coasts and islands, in the northern
parts there are winter months with a negative balance. Solar radiation directly depends
on the duration of sunlight, which decreases from south to north. Atmospheric
circulation influences through continental and marine air masses. The Balkan Peninsula
is widely connected to the continent of Europe and large parts are under continental
influence. The marine influence is limited because from the west along the Adriatic and
Ionian Seas is located the longitudinal (parallel to the coast) Dinaric-Pindus mountain
system. It is also under the influence of three types of air masses: temperate, tropical and
arctic. Cyclonic activity develops along their border zones, which affects the nature of
the weather and climate. The surface of the land and especially the proximity of water
bodies have a strong influence on the formation of the climate. The influence of the
Atlantic Ocean is significant, which also affects the climate through the presence of the
warm Gulf Stream. The Mediterranean Sea has a strong influence on the southern parts
of the peninsula. In the northern parts, there is a more significant continental influence.
The relief is also an important factor, the location of the main mountain ranges largely
determines the climatic features. The Dinaric-Pindian system blocks the path of warm
and humid air masses from the west. Therefore, only part of the coastal strip of the
Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, Southern Greece and the Aegean Islands have a
Mediterranean climate. The lack of high mountains in the southeastern part of the
1
, peninsula (Western Thrace, Eastern Thrace, the lower reaches of the Maritsa River)
expands the influence of warm air masses and the climate bears the characteristics of
the Mediterranean. The Stara Planina region is a natural climatic barrier that prevents
cold continental air masses from penetrating Thrace in winter, but also prevents the
penetration of warm air masses into the Danube Plain and Dobrudzha. The Rila-Rhodope
massif and the river valleys play a similar role. Altitude also has an influence - in the
mountainous areas the climate is cooler and wetter, and in the lowland-plain areas it is
drier and warmer. Two main types of climate are widespread: temperate continental
(northern and central parts) and Mediterranean (the coasts of the Adriatic, Ionian, White
and Marmara Seas), a transitional zone is formed between them. Climatic elements are: -
air temperature, which is influenced by latitude, atmospheric circulation and altitude. In
the northern part of the peninsula the average annual temperature is about 11.0°C, in the
south it reaches about 18.0°C. The temperature differences are greater in winter, in
summer there are high temperatures. Relative humidity of the air, which is almost the
same for the entire peninsula. In summer, however, it differs significantly - in the north
there are significantly higher values, in the south there are very low values, this makes
the summer in the southern regions warm and very dry. Winds, with the northwestern
and western prevailing, typical for the coasts are breezes. The Föhn is a strong and warm
dry wind that falls on the northern slopes of the mountains. During the winter half-year,
winter falling winds are also frequent - the bora, bora-like winds, the Vardar, etc. In the
southern parts of the peninsula, the hot sirocco wind often blows. Precipitation is
moderate in amount, decreasing due to the influence of the general atmospheric
circulation from west to east, and is unevenly distributed over the years. Two parts of the
Balkan Peninsula are clearly outlined: northern - with a summer maximum of
precipitation, southern - with a winter maximum of precipitation.
The Balkan Peninsula is divided into 5 climatic regions: temperate continental (in the
north), Mediterranean (in the south), transitional continental (south of temperate
continental), transitional Mediterranean (north of Mediterranean), mountainous (in
places with an altitude above 1000-1200 m).
2. Waters of the Balkan Peninsula
Water fills vast ocean and sea basins, forms lakes, accumulates in the form of glaciers in
the polar regions and high mountains, flows in river valleys and forms rivers, enters the
pores of rocks and forms underground basins, fills the troposphere, forming clouds.
Water is one of the exhaustible but renewable natural resources, water resources include
2
3rd lecture from the course “Topography of the Balkan Peninsula”
1. Climate of the Balkan Peninsula
Climate is the long-term weather regime characteristic of a given place. Meteorological
weather is the physical state of the atmosphere over a given territory. The weather
changes constantly, but over a long period, recurring conditions are observed that
characterize the climate of a given region. It determines the formation and changes in
other natural components and is an important natural resource - it determines the
development of agriculture, etc.
The climate of the Balkan Peninsula is diverse, the factors are: geographical location,
solar radiation, nature of atmospheric circulation, bedding surface, relief. The peninsula
falls into the temperate thermal belt of the Earth. The radiation balance is positive
throughout the year only in the southern regions, coasts and islands, in the northern
parts there are winter months with a negative balance. Solar radiation directly depends
on the duration of sunlight, which decreases from south to north. Atmospheric
circulation influences through continental and marine air masses. The Balkan Peninsula
is widely connected to the continent of Europe and large parts are under continental
influence. The marine influence is limited because from the west along the Adriatic and
Ionian Seas is located the longitudinal (parallel to the coast) Dinaric-Pindus mountain
system. It is also under the influence of three types of air masses: temperate, tropical and
arctic. Cyclonic activity develops along their border zones, which affects the nature of
the weather and climate. The surface of the land and especially the proximity of water
bodies have a strong influence on the formation of the climate. The influence of the
Atlantic Ocean is significant, which also affects the climate through the presence of the
warm Gulf Stream. The Mediterranean Sea has a strong influence on the southern parts
of the peninsula. In the northern parts, there is a more significant continental influence.
The relief is also an important factor, the location of the main mountain ranges largely
determines the climatic features. The Dinaric-Pindian system blocks the path of warm
and humid air masses from the west. Therefore, only part of the coastal strip of the
Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, Southern Greece and the Aegean Islands have a
Mediterranean climate. The lack of high mountains in the southeastern part of the
1
, peninsula (Western Thrace, Eastern Thrace, the lower reaches of the Maritsa River)
expands the influence of warm air masses and the climate bears the characteristics of
the Mediterranean. The Stara Planina region is a natural climatic barrier that prevents
cold continental air masses from penetrating Thrace in winter, but also prevents the
penetration of warm air masses into the Danube Plain and Dobrudzha. The Rila-Rhodope
massif and the river valleys play a similar role. Altitude also has an influence - in the
mountainous areas the climate is cooler and wetter, and in the lowland-plain areas it is
drier and warmer. Two main types of climate are widespread: temperate continental
(northern and central parts) and Mediterranean (the coasts of the Adriatic, Ionian, White
and Marmara Seas), a transitional zone is formed between them. Climatic elements are: -
air temperature, which is influenced by latitude, atmospheric circulation and altitude. In
the northern part of the peninsula the average annual temperature is about 11.0°C, in the
south it reaches about 18.0°C. The temperature differences are greater in winter, in
summer there are high temperatures. Relative humidity of the air, which is almost the
same for the entire peninsula. In summer, however, it differs significantly - in the north
there are significantly higher values, in the south there are very low values, this makes
the summer in the southern regions warm and very dry. Winds, with the northwestern
and western prevailing, typical for the coasts are breezes. The Föhn is a strong and warm
dry wind that falls on the northern slopes of the mountains. During the winter half-year,
winter falling winds are also frequent - the bora, bora-like winds, the Vardar, etc. In the
southern parts of the peninsula, the hot sirocco wind often blows. Precipitation is
moderate in amount, decreasing due to the influence of the general atmospheric
circulation from west to east, and is unevenly distributed over the years. Two parts of the
Balkan Peninsula are clearly outlined: northern - with a summer maximum of
precipitation, southern - with a winter maximum of precipitation.
The Balkan Peninsula is divided into 5 climatic regions: temperate continental (in the
north), Mediterranean (in the south), transitional continental (south of temperate
continental), transitional Mediterranean (north of Mediterranean), mountainous (in
places with an altitude above 1000-1200 m).
2. Waters of the Balkan Peninsula
Water fills vast ocean and sea basins, forms lakes, accumulates in the form of glaciers in
the polar regions and high mountains, flows in river valleys and forms rivers, enters the
pores of rocks and forms underground basins, fills the troposphere, forming clouds.
Water is one of the exhaustible but renewable natural resources, water resources include
2
