The Caucasus cannot be classified as one climatic region. To the north of the axial belt of the Greater Caucasus there is a temperate climate, in Transcaucasia it is subtropical. Within them there are differences due to the nature of the relief, position in relation to air currents, position in relation to the Black and Caspian Seas, and local circulation.

The climate of the Caucasus changes in three directions:

from west to east - towards increasing continentality,

from north to south - towards increasing amounts of radiation heat

in the altitudinal direction - an increase in precipitation and a decrease in temperatures.

Cloudiness plays a special role - with its rise in the mountains and in the western regions of the Caucasus, due to its increase, the annual values ​​of solar radiation are less than average.

IN summer months The radiation balance in the Caucasus is close to tropical, local VMs are transformed into tropical ones.

Circulation: continental air of temperate latitudes dominates in the North Caucasus, subtropical air dominates in Transcaucasia. High mountain zones under the influence of western directions.

IN winter months the territory is located south of the “major axis”; Low pressure areas are forming over the Black Sea and the south of the Caspian Sea. The result is an outflow of dense cold masses of the “major axis” to the Caucasus. However, the mountain wall prevents penetration to the south; it is still possible to bypass the coasts of the seas - “Nords” and “Bora”. In the west, a lot of snow falls in the mountains. To the east, the influence of the southwestern transport weakens and the influence of the Asian anticyclone intensifies, and snowfall decreases. A local anticyclone forms over the Armenian Highlands in winter.

In summer time An area of ​​low pressure is formed over Asia. Western sea air currents are intensifying temperate latitudes from the North Atlantic, which invade the Caucasus. They deposit precipitation on windward slopes. In the second half, the Azores high moves north and often covers the Caucasus.

The role of hair dryers, mountain-valley winds and breezes, and the formation of a center of low pressure over the Armenian Highlands are noticeable. Sea basins moderate the temperature.

In general, southern slopes are characterized by higher (summer and winter) temperatures. The annual amount of precipitation increases with elevation in the mountains and decreases at all levels from west to east.

The Caucasus is located on the border of the temperate and subtropical zones. The influx of solar radiation is so significant that in the Transcaucasus in the summer a local center for the formation of tropical air masses. The border of the temperate and subtropical zones runs along the axial part of the Greater Caucasus. Radiation balance 2300 MJ/m 2 /year (west) - 1800 (east) MJ/m 2 /year.

In winter, continental air of temperate latitudes (kWUS) from the Voeikov axis spreads to the Ciscaucasia. The prevailing winds are easterly and northeasterly directions. Cold air entering the Ciscaucasia lingers on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, not rising above 700-800 m. And only in the northwestern part of the Black Sea chain, where the height of the ridges is less than 1000 m, does the cold air cross them. Low pressure is established over the Black Sea in winter, so cold, heavy air rushes towards it at high speed, literally falling from the mountains. Strong cold winds arise, the so-called Novorossiysk bora. The air temperature during boron drops to -15...-20°C. Bora is observed in the Anapa-Tuapse section.

The upper parts of the mountains are in the zone of action of a free atmosphere, where the predominant role belongs to the winds of the western directions. In winter, western transport prevails at an altitude of more than 1.5-2 km, and in summer - 3.5-4 km.

The formation of climatic conditions during the cold period is greatly influenced by cyclonic activity developing on the Mediterranean branch of the polar front. The trajectories of Mediterranean cyclones are directed to the northeast of the Black Sea and cross the Caucasus in its western part. Their movement through the Caucasus leads to the advection of tropical air, which causes intense thaws, melting of snow cover, and the emergence snow avalanches in the mountains and the formation of foens on the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. With the development of hair dryers, the air temperature can rise to +15...+20°C. As the height of the mountains increases, the absolute maximum temperature in winter decreases and at Elbrus station it becomes negative (-2...-3°C).

Frequent advection of heat and the influence of the sea determine the positive average monthly air temperature on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The average January temperature in Novorossiysk is +2°C, in Sochi +6.1°C. In the Ciscaucasia, the average air temperature is -1...-2°C in the western regions, dropping to -4...-4.5°C in the center and rising again towards the Caspian Sea to -2...0°C. In the mountains, the temperature decreases with height, reaching -12... -14°C in the highlands, in the area of ​​eternal snow and glaciers.

When cold air masses break through from the north, the temperature in the Ciscaucasia can drop to -30...-36°C. Even in Anapa the absolute minimum is -26°C, and in Sochi - -15°C.

The intensification of cyclonic activity in the cold season determines the winter maximum precipitation on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. In the rest of the territory, maximum precipitation occurs in summer.

In winter, snow cover is established on the plains and mountains of the Caucasus. It first appears on the plains with relatively warm winter only in the second half of December. In some winters, stable snow cover does not form. Snow often falls during cold spells and melts away during thaws. The thickness of the snow cover on the plains is 10-15 cm. On the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains (Achishkho), due to the abundance of winter precipitation and a decrease in the frequency of winter thaws, the snow thickness reaches 3-4 m. In the mountains of the eastern part of the Caucasus it is reduced to 1 m (Myachkova N.A., 1983). The number of days with snow cover on the Stavropol Upland is 70-80, decreasing to the west and east of it to 50-40 and increasing in the mountains to 80-110 days due to a long cold period. On the lower border of the high mountain zone there is snow 120 days a year.

At this time, a high pressure area is formed on the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands. From here the cold continental air of Asia Minor (temperature -12°C) is carried out, penetrating into the middle part of the Rio-Kura corridor, but quickly transforming as it moves east. Colchis is filled with sea air masses of temperate latitudes, coming here with Mediterranean cyclones (t 4-6o). In winter, they constantly cross the Black Sea, where the pressure is low, and fall, as it were, into a trap between the ridges of the B. and M. Caucasus. The greatest amount of precipitation falls at the end of summer (August-September), as well as at the end of autumn - beginning of winter. In other regions of the Caucasus at this time there is no precipitation, with the exception of the Kura-Araks lowland. Here, autumn-winter precipitation and partly spring precipitation are associated with a branch of the Iranian polar front, along which cyclonic activity develops. It intensifies significantly on the slopes of Talysh and along the outskirts of this lowland.

In summer, the formation of the climate of the Caucasus is significantly influenced by the frequency of humid Atlantic air masses and dry continental air masses that form over the interior regions of Eurasia and arrive from the east. In this regard, the importance of the submeridional climate division (the transverse uplift of the Stavropol Upland - the Central Caucasus) is increasing. On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and in Western Ciscaucasia the air warms up to 22-23°C. In the highest parts of the Stavropol Upland and in the Mineralovodsk region, the average July temperature is 20-21°C. In the east of Ciscaucasia the air warms up to 24-25°C. In the mountains, the air temperature decreases with height, amounting to 10°C at an altitude of about 2500 m and 7°C at an altitude of 3000 m. At Elbrus station (altitude 4250 m), the average July temperature is only 1.4°C.

In the first half of summer, the influence of Atlantic cyclones, which determine the June maximum precipitation, intensifies in the Ciscaucasia region. Later, the transformation of air masses over the southeast of the Russian Plain increases, so already in mid-summer the amount of precipitation decreases, and conditions are often created for the formation of hot winds and droughts, the frequency of which increases in the east.

The annual amount of precipitation increases from the foothills to the mountains and up the slopes, but at the same time noticeably decreases when moving from west to east. In the Kuban-Azov lowland, the annual precipitation amount is 550-600 mm, in the Stavropol Upland it increases to 700-800 mm and decreases to 500-350 mm in the Eastern Ciscaucasia. On the Black Sea coast, the amount of precipitation increases rapidly from north to south (from 700 mm northwest of Novorossiysk to 1650 mm in the Sochi region). In the highlands of the western part of the Greater Caucasus, 2000-3000 mm of precipitation falls, and in the eastern part - only 1000-1500 mm. The amount of precipitation also decreases in the depression between the Skalisty and Bokovoy ridges, especially in the “shadow” of the Skalisty Range, amounting to 650-700 mm. The highest annual precipitation is observed on the windward southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. At Achishkho station it is over 3700 mm per year. This - greatest number precipitation not only in the Caucasus, but throughout Russia.

Average annual precipitation: Colchis, the southern slope of the Western Caucasus - 1.5-2 thousand mm, Western and Middle Ciscaucasia 450-600 mm, Eastern Ciscaucasia, Terek-Kuma Lowland - 200-350 mm, Kura-Araks Lowland - 200-300 mm, Javakheti-Armenian Highlands 450-600 mm, Lenkoran Lowland - 1200 mm. The warmest summer is in the Kura-Araks Lowland (26-28°C), in the rest of the territory 23-25°C, in the Javakheti-Armenian Highlands 18°C. However, temperature and precipitation are subject to change depending on the height of the mountains, forming altitudinal climatic zonation. Thus, the average annual temperature on the Black Sea coast is 12-14°С, in the foothills of the Caucasus it is 7-8°С, at an altitude of 2-3 thousand m -3-0°С. In summer, despite the increase in solar radiation with height, the temperature drops by an average of 0.5-0.6°C every 100 m, and in winter by 0.3-0.4°C. When climbing the mountains, the average annual positive temperature remains only up to an altitude of 2300-2500 m. On Elbrus it is -10°C. Similar patterns persist for average monthly air temperatures. Thus, the average January temperature in the Ciscaucasia is -2-7°C, in the midlands and highlands - from -8 to -13°C; on Elbrus -19°C; in Novorossiysk 3°C, Sochi 5°C. In July, the temperature is 23-25°C everywhere, at an altitude of 2-2.5 thousand m -18°C, 4000 m -2°С.

Quantity atmospheric precipitation also changes with altitude. If in the north-eastern Ciscaucasia their precipitation is less than 300 m, further to the west 300-400 mm, and in the Western Ciscaucasia 400-500 mm, then in the low-mountain regions of Stavropol - Nalchik 500-800 mm, at the latitude and altitude of Vladikavkaz - 800-1000 m (1.5 thousand m), at an altitude of 2 thousand m on average 1000-1500 mm; higher the amount of precipitation decreases: Terskol - (3050 m) - 930 mm.

The height of the snow line is 2800-3000 m, in the western part - 3200-3500 m, in the eastern part of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, glaciation is negligible - 3 square meters. km. On B.K. - 1420 km 2, their total number is 2200. Of these, 70% is located on the northern slope, 30% on the southern slope. Types of glaciers - mountain-valley (20% of the area), cirque and hanging. The centers of glaciation are Elbrus, Kazbek, and other peaks of the central Caucasus in M.K. - Aragats, Zangezur Range, Javakheti Range. All glaciers are in the stage of retreat (10-20 m/year).

The climate and relief features of the Caucasus determine its modern glaciation. Within Russia in the Caucasus, there are 1,498 glaciers with a total glaciation area of ​​993.6 km 2, which is 70% of the total number of glaciers and glaciation area of ​​the Greater Caucasus. The sharp predominance of glaciers on the northern slope is due to orographic features and snowstorm transport of snow westerly winds beyond the barrier of the Watershed Range and slightly less insolation than on the southern slope. The snow line lies at altitudes of 2800-3200 m in the western part of the Caucasus and rises to 3600-4000 m in the east.

The greatest glaciation is concentrated in the Central Caucasus. The largest massif of modern glaciation is the Elbrus glacier complex (area 122.6 km 2). The double-headed Elbrus is covered with a firn-ice cap with a diameter of about 10 km, which feeds over 50 glacial streams radiating from it. The largest complex valley glacier in the Caucasus is the Bezengi glacier (length 17.6 km, area 36.2 km2), located at the foot of the Bezengi wall and feeding the Cherek-Bezengi river. It is followed by the Dykh-Su glaciers (length 13.3 km, area 34.0 km2) and Karaugom (length 13.3 km, area 26.6 km2).

In the Western Caucasus, due to the low altitude of the mountains, there is little glaciation. Its largest areas are concentrated in the Kuban basin near the highest mountain peaks - Dombay-Ulgen, Pshish, etc. Glaciation of the Eastern Caucasus due to the great dryness of the climate is less significant and is represented mainly by small glaciers - cirques, hanging, cirque-valley.

The total area of ​​glaciers is 1965 km2. Glaciation reaches its greatest development between Elbrus and Kazbek, from here it gradually decreases to the west and sharply to the east. The most common are cairns and hanging ones. 20% are valley glaciers. Everyone is regressing.



The climatic region of the natural region of the Caucasus is different: Ciscaucasia occupies a temperate climate region, and Transcaucasia is subtropical. Climatic regions are different because of different topography, air currents, and local circulation. Changes in climatic conditions in the Caucasus occur in three directions. From the western part of the Caucasus towards the east, the continental climate increases. From north to south, total solar radiation increases. The higher you go in the mountains, the lower the temperature and the more precipitation. In the North Caucasus, solar radiation is 1.5 times greater than in the Moscow region, per 1 cm2 per year. surface 120-140 kC. Depending on the time of year, the radiation flux is different: in summer the heat balance is positive, and in winter it is negative, since a certain percentage of radiation is reflected by the snow cover. Summer is long. Temperature fluctuations in July on the plains are more than +20 degrees. In January, temperatures range from -10 to +6 degrees Celsius.

In the north of the Caucasus, continental air of temperate latitudes dominates. Transcaucasia is a zone of subtropical air masses. The north is devoid of orographic obstacles, and the south has high mountains, so throughout the year different air masses penetrate here - Arctic cold air, wet air Mediterranean tropics, Atlantic humid air masses or dry and dusty Central Asian and Middle Eastern air. In the Ciscaucasia in winter, mainly continental air of temperate latitudes dominates. In winter, low pressure areas form over the Black and Caspian Seas, resulting in strong cold winds. The Asian anticyclone moves to the east, which reduces the amount of snow. IN winter period A local anticyclone is forming over the Armenian Highlands. In the Ciscaucasia, the temperature drops to 30-36 minus due to the cold northern air. Minimum temperature in Anapa – 260C, in Sochi – 150C.

During the cold season, the influence of cyclones on the Black Sea coast increases, so the amount of precipitation during this period is the highest. In the rest of the territory, maximum precipitation is observed in summer. In winter, snow falls in the Caucasus mountains and plains. There are snowless winters. The thickness of the snow cover on the plains is from 10 to 15 cm. The southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus are covered with a 3-4 meter blanket of snow. The summer climate of the Caucasus is formed mainly by humid air from the Atlantic and dry continental air. The air temperature in Western Ciscaucasia and the Black Sea coast reaches + 22, +23 degrees, in eastern Ciscaucasia reaches +24, + 25 degrees. Temperature decreases noticeably with altitude. On Elbrus the average thermometer is only +1.4 degrees.

In the Ciscaucasia, Atlantic cyclones bring the maximum amount of precipitation in the first half of summer. In mid-summer, air masses transform over the southeast of the East European Plain, which leads to a decrease in precipitation and the formation of hot winds with droughts. Rising from the foothills to the mountains, the amount of precipitation increases, but in the eastern part it decreases significantly. The annual rate of the Kuban-Azov lowland reaches 550-600 mm of precipitation. If we consider the Sochi region, the figure will be 1650 mm. In the west of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, an average of 2000-3000 mm of precipitation falls, and in the eastern region the figure is 1000-1500 mm. The greatest amount of precipitation was recorded on the windward slopes of the Greater Caucasus on the southwestern side. For example, at Achishkho station the highest amount of precipitation falls not only in the Caucasus region, but in all of Russia combined. This figure reaches more than 3700 mm per year.

Modern glaciation of the Caucasus is associated with its climate and relief features. There are 1,498 glaciers in the Russian Caucasus, which is 70% of the total number of glaciers, as well as the glaciated area of ​​the Greater Caucasus.

Rivers of the Caucasus

The Caucasus Mountains collect large amounts of moisture. These are rains, snow, glaciers. It is in the mountains that the sources of all Caucasian rivers are located. In the flat territories of the Ciscaucasia, river waters flow into the Black, Azov and Caspian seas. Mostly mountain rivers with rapid currents. There are also lowland rivers in the Caucasus, which have a slow flow and little flood. The Stavropol Upland is the starting point for some lowland rivers. In summer they dry out, forming peculiar chains of lakes. The upper reaches of the Kuban, Kuma, Rioni, Terek, Kura, and Araks rivers are located in the mountains, and the lower reaches are on the plains. These rivers are fed by rain and groundwater. Showers feed the rivers located between Tuapse and Sochi, turning them into rapid streams. When there is no rain, rivers turn into streams. The sources of the mountain rivers Bzyb, Kodor, Inguri are located at an altitude of 2 to 3 thousand meters. Sulak and Terek flow at high speed through deep canyon-like gorges. These rivers have rapids and waterfalls.

The density of the river network of valleys is uneven and reaches only 0.05 km/sq. km. The southern slope of the mountain system has a dense river network. The rivers of the Caucasus, especially in Dagestan, are muddy, as rocks and various sediments are washed away. The most muddy waters the Kura and Terek rivers. Kuban, Kagalnik, Western Manych, Chelbas and Beysug flow into the Black Sea. The rivers of the Caspian Sea basin are Samur, Terek, Sulak, Eastern Manych, Kuma and Kalaus.

The Caucasian rivers have a minor transport function. The navigable category includes Kuru, Rioni, Kuban. Rivers are used to irrigate territories, and it is also convenient to float timber along them. There are hydroelectric power stations on many Caucasian rivers.

Lakes of the Caucasus

There are few lakes in the Caucasus. Total number– about 2 thousand. The area of ​​the lakes is small. An exception is the mountain lake Sevan, the height of the water surface of which is 1916 m, and the greatest depth is 99 m. The area and depth of the lake have decreased slightly due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station on it. This factor affected not only the lake, but also the nature of the surrounding area. Some animal species disappeared, the number of fish decreased, and bare peat bogs formed in the area.

The plains of the coasts of the Azov and Caspian Seas contain lagoonal and estuary lakes. The Manych lakes formed a whole system. Certain lakes in this system sometimes dry up during the summer.

The foothills and lower slopes do not have lakes, but there are many of them in the mountains. The basins of mountain lakes are different in origin. Most are tectonic, but there are also karst, volcanic and cirque. Lakes of volcanic origin are characterized by a dammed nature. River pool Teberdy is famous for its lakes of glacial origin that have survived to this day. The floodplains of lowland rivers are decorated with peculiar lakes. For example, this is the dammed lake Ritsa, located in the mountains.

Summer is hot everywhere, with the exception of the highlands. Thus, the average temperature on the plain in summer is about 25 °C, and in the upper reaches of the mountains - 0 °C.

The abundance of heat and light ensures the development of vegetation in the steppe zone for seven months, in the foothills for eight, and on the Black Sea coast for up to eleven. (T not lower than +10).

Winters in the Ciscaucasia are quite warm (the average temperature in January is -5ºC). This is facilitated by warm temperatures coming from the Atlantic Ocean. air masses. On the Black Sea coast, the temperature rarely drops below zero (the average January temperature is +3ºC). In mountainous areas, the temperature is naturally below -4 - 8° C.

Precipitation.

Dry Central Asian winds penetrating through the Caspian Sea and humid Black Sea winds have a decisive influence on the distribution of precipitation.

Precipitation they enter this territory mainly thanks to those coming from the west cyclones, as a result of which their number gradually decreases to the east. Most precipitation falls on the southwestern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. (2600mm) (most of all in our country). To the east, precipitation drops to 600 mm per year

Their number on the Kuban Plain is approximately 400 mm. The Stavropol Plateau serves not only as a watershed, but also as a barrier limiting the influence of the Black Sea winds in the east of the region. Therefore, the southwestern regions North Caucasus quite humid (in Sochi there is 1410 mm of precipitation per year), the eastern ones are arid (Kizlyar - 340 mm).

The climatic features of the Greater Caucasus are determined by altitudinal zonality and the rotation of the mountain barrier it forms at a certain angle to the western moisture-bearing air flows - Atlantic cyclones and Mediterranean western air currents of the middle layers of the troposphere. This rotation has a decisive influence on the distribution of precipitation.

The wettest part is the western part of the southern slope, where more than 2500 mm of precipitation falls per year in the highlands. A record amount of precipitation falls on the Achishkho ridge in the Krasnaya Polyana region - 3200 mm per year, this is the most damp place Russia. Winter snow cover in the area meteorological station Achishkho reaches 5-7 meters in height!

In the eastern Central Caucasus, up to 1500 mm per year falls in the highlands, and on the southern slope of the Eastern Caucasus only 800-600 mm per year.

By the nature of air masses, the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus belongs to the subtropical zone, the border of which is temperate zone emphasized by the highland barrier. The west of the lower part of the southern slope has a humid subtropical climate, while the east has a semi-dry climate. The northern slope of the Greater Caucasus is generally drier than the southern one.

In the Greater Caucasus Mountains, in a relatively small area, there is a wide range of climatic zones with pronounced zonation in altitude: humid subtropics of the Black Sea coast, continental dry (in the east to semi-desert) climate with hot summers and short but cold winter on the plains of the Ciscaucasia there is a moderate continental climate of the foothills with significant precipitation (especially in the western part) and snowy winters (in the Krasnaya Polyana area, on the watershed of the Bzyb and Chkhalta rivers, the snow cover reaches 5 m and even 8 m). In the alpine meadow zone, the climate is cold and humid, winter lasts up to 7 months, average temperatures in August, the warmest month, range from 0 to 10°C. Above is the so-called nival belt, where the average temperature of even the warmest month does not exceed 0°. Precipitation here falls mainly in the form of snow or pellets (hail).

Average January temperatures at the foot of the mountains are -5°C in the north and from 3° to 6°C in the south at an altitude of 2000 m -7-8°C, at an altitude of 3000 m -12°C, at an altitude of 4000 m -17°C . The average July temperatures at the foot of the mountains in the west are 24°C, in the east up to 29°C at an altitude of 2000 m 14°C, at an altitude of 3000 m 8°C, at an altitude of 4000 m 2°C.

In the Greater Caucasus, the height of the snow line, rising from west to east, ranges from 2700 m to 3900 m above sea level. Its northern elevation is different for the northern and southern slopes. In the Western Caucasus these are 3010 and 2090 m, respectively, in the Central Caucasus - 3360 and 3560 m, in the Eastern Caucasus - 3700 and 3800 m. The total area of ​​modern glaciation in the Greater Caucasus is 1780 km¤. The number of glaciers is 2047, their tongues descend to absolute levels: 2300-2700 m (Western Caucasus), 1950-2400 m (Central Caucasus), 2400-3200 m (Eastern Caucasus). Most of the glaciation occurs on the northern side of the GKH. The distribution of the glaciation area is as follows: Western Caucasus - 282 and 163 sq. km Central Caucasus - 835 and 385 sq. km Eastern Caucasus - 114 and 1 sq. km respectively.

Caucasian glaciers are distinguished by a variety of forms. Here you can see grandiose icefalls with seracs, ice grottoes, tables, mills, and deep cracks. Glaciers carry out large amounts of debris, which accumulates in the form of various moraines on the sides and at the tongue of glaciers.

The climate of the Caucasus is influenced by many factors. The most important of them are latitudinal zonality and vertical zonation. However, the actions of these main factors are largely corrected by the peculiarities geographical location and relief.

In addition, the climate different parts The Caucasus is greatly influenced by the proximity of the Black and Azov Seas in the west and the Caspian Sea in the east. All these factors have created a variety of climatic and forest conditions in the Caucasus.

High mountain ranges in the Caucasus influence the advancement and distribution of pressure phenomena. Thus, the main Caucasian ridge protects the territory of Transcaucasia from the invasion of cold air masses approaching from the north. These air masses flow around the ridge and enter Transcaucasia from the west and east, moistening due to contact with the Black and Caspian Seas and somewhat warming up under the influence of the warm land surface.

Mountains cutting the territory of Transcaucasia in different directions and solar radiation continue to modify the climate of the Caucasus, affecting the direction and speed of movement of air masses, their rise, etc.

All this creates the complexity and diversity of climate elements - air and soil temperature, amount, intensity and distribution of precipitation, relative air humidity, wind direction and speed, etc.

The intensity of solar radiation increases with increasing altitude. However the main role belongs not to the sum of heat and solar radiation, but to the temperature of the air and soil. Due to the intensity of solar radiation in the mountains, large fluctuations in air temperatures are observed during the day.

Soil in sunny days It warms up a lot, especially on southern-facing slopes. As a result, the soil temperature changes less with increasing altitude than the air temperature, and the difference between the air and soil temperatures becomes very insignificant. At night, the surface layer of soil on the slopes cools noticeably, but in deeper layers its temperature exceeds the air temperature.

According to the degree of moisture in the Caucasus, they are divided into: humid subtropical regions of the Black Sea coast Krasnodar region, Western Georgia and South-Eastern Azerbaijan; humid regions of the Northern and Western Caucasus; dry areas of Eastern Georgia, Western Azerbaijan, Armenia, Dagestan.

The climate of the Caucasus can be traced with each rise in altitude; according to scientists, for every 100 meters of rise the amount of precipitation increases by 20%, in Crimea by 14-15%.

The amount of precipitation and rainy days is greatly influenced by local geographical factors. Thus, under the influence of the Black Sea, in the adjacent regions of Western Georgia and the Krasnodar Territory, the average annual precipitation exceeds 1000 mm, reaching 3000 mm in the coastal strip of Adjara. In dry mountainous areas, the average annual precipitation is 300-350 mm, decreasing in some years to 100 mm.