Climate of Albania

Last updated
Koppen climate classification types of Albania.
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
Hot Mediterranean climate
Warm Mediterranean climate
Subtropical climate
Oceanic climate
Continental climate
Subarctic climate Albania Koppen.svg
Köppen climate classification types of Albania.

Albania has a variety of climate systems. With its coastline facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas in the Mediterranean sea, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons, however it has a high number of climatic regions for such a small area. [1] The coastal lowlands have typically mediterranean climate while the highlands have a continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south. [2]

Contents

Under the Köppen climate classification, the country has Hot Mediterranean climate, Warm Mediterranean climate, Subtropical climate, Oceanic climate, Continental climate and Subarctic climate. [3]

Overview

the lowlands have mild winters, averaging about 8 °C (46 °F). Humidity is mostly high with lots of rain. Mountainous regions have many snow days. Summer temperatures average 33 °C (91 °F), humidity is low. Many times, local thunderstorms occur in mountainous regions, caracterized by heavy local downpours and strong local winds.

Inland temperatures are affected more by differences in elevation than by latitude or any other factor. Low winter temperatures in the mountains are caused by the continental air mass that dominates the weather in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Northerly and northeasterly winds blow much of the time. From October to April, when a low pressure comes from the west, the Sirocco wind blows. The low pressure pulls warm and dry air from Sahara. When this air mass goes above the Mediterranean Sea, it fills up with moisture and makes rainy and warm conditions in Albania and in other places in Southern Europe. Average summer temperatures are lower than in the coastal areas in mountainous areas and much lower at higher elevations, but daily fluctuations are greater. Daytime maximum temperatures in the interior basins and river valleys are very high, but the nights are almost always cool. Lowlands are hot and dry in summer. In lowlands the day sea wind blows at day and night land wind at night. Rain is getting rarer in these areas in summer.

Average precipitation is heavy, a result of the convergence of the prevailing airflow from the Mediterranean Sea and the continental air mass. Because they usually meet at the point where the terrain rises, the heaviest rain falls in the central uplands. Vertical currents initiated when the Mediterranean air is uplifted also cause frequent thunderstorms. Many of these storms are accompanied by high local winds and torrential downpours. When the continental air mass is weak, Mediterranean winds drop their moisture farther inland. When there is a dominant continental air mass, cold air spills onto the lowland areas, which occurs most frequently in the winter. Because the season's lower temperatures damage olive trees and citrus fruits, groves and orchards are restricted to sheltered places with southern and western exposures, even in areas with high average winter temperatures.

Lowland rainfall averages from 1,000 millimeters (39.37 in) to more than 1,500 millimeters (59.06 in) annually, with the higher levels in the north. Nearly 95% of the rain falls in the winter.

Rainfall in the upland mountain ranges is heavier. Adequate records are not available, and estimates vary widely, but annual averages are probably about 1,800 millimeters (70.87 in) and are as high as 2,550 millimeters (100.39 in) in some northern areas. The seasonal variation is not quite as great in the coastal area.

The higher inland mountains receive less precipitation than the intermediate uplands. Terrain differences cause wide local variations, but the seasonal distribution is the most consistent of any area.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg low
(°C/°F)
0 °C
32.0 °F
2 °C
36 °F
5 °C
41 °F
10 °C
50.0 °F
16 °C
60.8 °F
19 °C
66.2 °F
21 °C
69.8 °F
20 °C
68.0 °F
16 °C
60.8 °F
11 °C
52 °F
5 °C
41.0 °F
2 °C
36 °F
Avg high
(°C/°F)
8 °C
46.4 °F
11 °C
51.8 °F
15 °C
59 °F
19 °C
66.2 °F
26 °C
78.8 °F
30 °C
86.0 °F
33 °C
91.4 °F
31 °C
87.8 °F
26 °C
78.8 °F
20 °C
68.0 °F
15 °C
59.0 °F
11 °C
51.8 °F
Humidity in %716968696757424254677573
Sunshine (h/day)55671015181612755
Precipitation in days1313141310754691617
Spring: Climate data
Climate data for Tirana (7) [lower-alpha 1] 1961-1990 normals and extremes 1940-present [lower-alpha 2]
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)21.3
(70.3)
28.0
(82.4)
30.3
(86.5)
32.6
(90.7)
35.9
(96.6)
39.7
(103.5)
42.2
(108.0)
41.4
(106.5)
39.7
(103.5)
36.1
(97.0)
31.3
(88.3)
22.5
(72.5)
42.2
(108.0)
Average high °C (°F)11.6
(52.9)
12.9
(55.2)
15.6
(60.1)
19.0
(66.2)
23.8
(74.8)
27.7
(81.9)
30.7
(87.3)
30.7
(87.3)
27.3
(81.1)
21.8
(71.2)
17.1
(62.8)
13.0
(55.4)
21.0
(69.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)6.7
(44.1)
7.8
(46.0)
10.0
(50.0)
13.4
(56.1)
18.0
(64.4)
21.6
(70.9)
24.0
(75.2)
23.8
(74.8)
20.7
(69.3)
16.0
(60.8)
11.7
(53.1)
8.1
(46.6)
15.2
(59.4)
Average low °C (°F)1.8
(35.2)
2.6
(36.7)
4.5
(40.1)
7.9
(46.2)
12.1
(53.8)
15.6
(60.1)
17.2
(63.0)
16.9
(62.4)
14.1
(57.4)
10.1
(50.2)
6.3
(43.3)
3.2
(37.8)
9.4
(48.9)
Record low °C (°F)−10.4
(13.3)
−9.4
(15.1)
−7.0
(19.4)
−1.0
(30.2)
2.5
(36.5)
5.6
(42.1)
4.2
(39.6)
10.0
(50.0)
3.8
(38.8)
−1.3
(29.7)
−4.3
(24.3)
−6.9
(19.6)
−10.4
(13.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)143
(5.6)
132
(5.2)
115
(4.5)
104
(4.1)
103
(4.1)
68
(2.7)
42
(1.7)
46
(1.8)
78
(3.1)
114
(4.5)
172
(6.8)
148
(5.8)
1,266
(49.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)1313141312754691616128
Average relative humidity (%)74736972686962647170767971
Mean monthly sunshine hours 124125165191263298354327264218127882,544
Average ultraviolet index 2246899864215
Source: DWD, [4] [5] [lower-alpha 3] Meteo Climat (record highs and lows), [6] NOAA (some records, rain and snow days) [7] and Weather Atlas [8]
  1. Elevation at 90 m (300 ft)
  2. The monthly estimations for rainy and snowy days are not available, only annual.
  3. ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/help/stations_list_CLIMAT_data.txt Station ID for Tirana is 13615] Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Cape Verde</span>

Cape Verde is a group of arid Atlantic islands which are home to distinct communities of plants, birds, and reptiles. The islands constitute the unique Cape Verde Islands dry forests ecoregion, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Jordan</span> Geographical features of Jordan

Jordan is situated geographically in West Asia, south of Syria, west of Iraq, northwest of Saudi Arabia, east of Palestine. The area is also referred to as the Middle or Near East. The territory of Jordan now covers about 91,880 square kilometres (35,480 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Morocco</span> Overview of the geography of Morocco

Morocco is the northwesternmost country which spans from the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean on the north and the west respectively, into large mountainous areas in the interior, to the Sahara desert in the far south. Morocco is a Northern African country, located in the extreme northwest of Africa on the edge of continental Europe. The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain from Morocco with a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) span of water. Morocco borders the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the western Mediterranean Sea to the north, and has borders with Algeria and disputed Western Sahara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Nigeria</span> Overview of the geography of Nigeria

Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It shares land borders with the Republic of Benin to the west, Chad and Cameroon to the east, and Niger to the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the south and it borders Lake Chad to the northeast. Notable geographical features in Nigeria include the Adamawa Plateau, Mambilla Plateau, Jos Plateau, Obudu Plateau, the Niger River, Benue River, and Niger Delta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Paraguay</span>

Paraguay is a country in South America, bordering Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The Paraguay River divides the country into strikingly different eastern and western regions. Both the eastern region and the western region gently slope toward and are drained into the Paraguay River, which separates and unifies the two regions. With the Paraneña region reaching southward and the Chaco extending to the north, Paraguay straddles the Tropic of Capricorn and experiences both subtropical and tropical climates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean climate</span> Type of climate

A Mediterranean climate, also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen as Cs, is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes. Such climates typically have dry summers and wet winters, with summer conditions ranging from warm to hot and winter conditions typically being mild to cool. These weather conditions are typically experienced in the majority of Mediterranean-climate regions and countries, but remain highly dependent on proximity to the ocean, altitude and geographical location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceanic climate</span> Climate classification

An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as Cfb, typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters, with a relatively narrow annual temperature range and few extremes of temperature. Oceanic climates can be found in both hemispheres generally between 45 and 63 latitude, most notably in northwestern Europe, northwestern America, as well as New Zealand. Other varieties of climates usually classified together with these include subtropical highland climates, represented as Cwb or Cfb, and subpolar oceanic or cold subtropical highland climates, represented as Cfc or Cwc. Subtropical highland climates occur in some mountainous parts of the subtropics or tropics, some of which have monsoon influence, while their cold variants and subpolar oceanic climates occur near polar or tundra regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Scotland</span>

The climate of Scotland is mostly temperate and oceanic, and tends to be very changeable, but rarely extreme. It is warmed by the Gulf Stream from the Atlantic, and given its northerly latitude it is much warmer than areas on similar latitudes, for example Kamchatka in Russia or Labrador in Canada, or Fort McMurray, Canada. Scots sometimes describe weather which is grey and gloomy using the Scots language word dreich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Azerbaijan</span>

The climate of Azerbaijan is very diverse. Nine out of eleven existing climate zones are present in Azerbaijan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Italy</span> Overview of climatic conditions in Italy

The climate of Italy is the long-term weather pattern in the territory of the Italian Republic. The climate of Italy is influenced by the large body of water of the Mediterranean Seas that surrounds Italy on every side except the north. These seas constitute a reservoir of heat and humidity for Italy. Within the southern temperate zone, they determine a particular climate called Mediterranean climate with local differences due to the geomorphology of the territory, which tends to make its mitigating effects felt, especially in high pressure conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Romania</span>

The climate of Romania is continental transitioning into an oceanic climate on the eastern coast, influenced by Scandinavian-Baltic weather, characterized by harsh winters and stronger rainfalls in the cooler months. In the south-east, the Black Sea induces rare heavy strong rains. In eastern regions the continental character is less pronounced. In the north of the country, the effect of the Scandinavian-Baltic climate is felt, effecting a wetter and colder climate with cold winters. The west of the country has a more pronounced influence of low pressure systems generated over the Atlantic, causing moderate temperatures and stronger precipitation. Climate nuances are demonstrated on the steps of the altitude, the mountain ranges of the Carpathian arc have a cool mountain climate with high humidity throughout the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Ireland</span> Climate of Ireland

The climate of Ireland is mild, humid and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. Ireland's climate is defined as a temperate oceanic climate, or Cfb on the Köppen climate classification system, a classification it shares with most of northwest Europe. The island receives generally warm summers and cool winters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Indonesia</span> Climatic features of Indonesia

The climate of Indonesia is almost entirely tropical. The uniformly warm waters that make up 81% of Indonesia's area ensure that temperatures on land remain fairly constant, with the coastal plains averaging 28 °C (82 °F), the inland and mountain areas averaging 26 °C (79 °F), and the higher mountain regions, 23 °C (73 °F). Temperature varies little from season to season, and Indonesia experiences relatively little change in the length of daylight hours from one season to the next; the difference between the longest day and the shortest day of the year is only forty-eight minutes. This allows crops to be grown all year round.

The climate of Gibraltar is Mediterranean/Subtropical with mild winters and warm summers. Gibraltar has two main prevailing winds, an easterly one known as the Levante coming from the Sahara in Africa which brings humid weather and warmer sea currents and the other as Poniente which is westerly and brings fresher air and colder sea. Its terrain consists of the 430-metre (1,411 ft) high Rock of Gibraltar and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it. Rain occurs mainly in winter; the summers are generally dry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Paraguay</span> Overview of the Climate of Paraguay

The climate of Paraguay consists of a subtropical climate in the Paranaense region and a tropical climate in the Chaco. The Paranaense region has a humid climate, with abundant rainfall throughout the year and only moderate seasonal changes in temperature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Sweden</span> Overview of the climate of Sweden

Most of Sweden has a temperate climate, despite its northern latitude, with largely four distinct seasons and mild temperatures throughout the year. The winter in the far south is usually weak and is manifested only through some shorter periods with snow and sub-zero temperatures, autumn may well turn into spring there, without a distinct period of winter. The northern parts of the country have a subarctic climate while the central parts have a humid continental climate. The coastal south can be defined as having either a humid continental climate using the 0 °C isotherm, or an oceanic climate using the –3 °C isotherm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Serbia</span>

The climate of Serbia is between a continental climate in the north, with cold dry winters, and warm, humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns, and a more Mediterranean climate in the south with hot, dry summers and autumns and average relatively cool and more rainy winters with heavy mountain snowfall. Differences in elevation, proximity to the Adriatic Sea and Aegean Sea and large river basins, as well as exposure to the winds account for climate differences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environment of Albania</span>

The environment of Albania is characterised by unique flora and fauna and a variety of landforms contained within a small nation. It also consists of different ecoregions, which represent the natural geographical ecosystem, water systems, weather, renewable resources and influences upon them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Cyprus</span> Climate of the Mediterranean island

Cyprus has a subtropical climate - Mediterranean and semi-arid type - according to Köppen climate classification signes Csa and BSh, with very mild winters and warm to hot summers. Snow is possible only in the Troodos mountains in the central part of the island. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Spain</span> Overview of the climate of Spain

The climate in Spain varies across continental Spain. Spain is the most climatically diverse country in Europe with 17 different Köppen climates, excluding the Canary Islands, and is within the 10 most climatically diverse countries in the world. The country is dominated by five major climate regions, with the other regions including smaller portions of the country. The Mediterranean environment and location in Europe mean that it will experience greater heatwaves and dry weather due to climate change.

References

  1. "Albania". weatheronline.de.
  2. "Albania - Climate". britannica.com.
  3. "CLIMATE: ALBANIA". en.climate-data.org.
  4. "Klimatafel von Tirana (Flugh.) / Albanien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  5. "Station 13615 Tirana". Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration. Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived from the original on 2017-10-17. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  6. "Station Tirana" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  7. "Tirane (13615) - WMO Weather Station". NOAA . Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  8. "Tirana, Albania - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Yu Media Group. Retrieved 2019-07-03.