Climate in the Altai territory is moderate sharply continental and is a result of frequent air mass change that come from the Atlantic, the Arctic, Eastern Siberia and Middle Asia.
The absolute annual amplitude of the air comes up to 90 – 95 degrees Celsius.
Fair with some cloud weather predominance ensures considerable inflow of solar radiation. Solar shining duration on average comprises 2000 – 2300 hours per year, the amount of total radiation comes up to 4500 – 4800 mega joules per cubic meter a year.
Average annual temperatures are positive, 0.5 - 2.1 degrees Celsius.
Average maximum temperatures of July comprise 26 – 28 degrees Celsius, extreme temperatures come up to 40 – 41 degrees Celsius.
Average minimum temperatures of January are from –20 till –24 degrees Celsius. The absolute winter minimum is from -50 till -55 degrees Celsius.
Frost - free period lasts for about 120 days.
The driest and hottest part of the Altai territory is western plain part. Precipitation grow from 230 mm to 600 – 700 mm per year in the east and south – east. Average annual temperature grows in south – east of the territory.
Due to the mountain barrier in the south – east the prevailing west – east air mass transfer changes to south – west direction. Summer months are often windy. In 20 – 45% the wind has south - west and west direction and is over 6 meters per second. The steppe areas of the Altai territory are characterized with hot dry wind (up to 20 days a year). In winter months during active cyclonic activity there are many snowstorm in Altai with recurrence about 30 – 50 days a year.
Snow cover is usually settled in the second half of November and goes in the first part of April. The snow cover height is in general 40 – 60 centimeters and in western areas decreases to 20 – 30 centimeters and complete snow blowing-off. The ground frost penetration is 50 – 80 centimeters, the snow free steppe areas have frost penetration about 2 – 2,5 meters.
Atmospheric air state greatly depends on the density of environmentally active branches of productive industry, level of industrial emission cleaning, concentration and load of transport highways.
About 64% of air-polluting substances are caught by the air – cleaning devices set at industrial enterprises.
Regular observations the environment state are done by the Goskomgidromet in four cities of the Altai territory (Barnaul, Biysk, Zarinsk, Slavgorod), in 11 fixed posts and in 3 routes. The air content of 20 pollutants is controlled, that determine the air pollution index (API).
Source of information: the State committee for environment protection in the Altai territory and the Institute of water and environmental problems of Russian Science Academy (Siberian Department).
Äàòà èçìåíåíèÿ: 20.04.2010 ã.