How's the weather in Armenia?

Experts estimate unusually cold summer as extraordinary phenomenon
13.08.2009 16:15 GMT+04:00 Print version Send to mail

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Weather conditions in July and August was strictly distinguished by frequent precipitations and low temperature. In that connection, journalists today met with Zaruhi Petrosyan, Deputy Director of ArmHidroMed Operative Hydro-Meteorological Centre and Hamlet Melkonyan, Director of ArmHidroMed.

“Specialists find recent days’ cold and unusual weather an extraordinary phenomenon. Frequent precipitations were also observed in 1937, 1945 and 1955,” Zaruhi Petrosyan said. “Low temperature during the months of July and August was registered in 1960, 1963, 1974, 1982, 1988 and 1992. Closer to present-day weather conditions was the situation observed in July and August, 1992.”

Average temperature in July was below 0.5-1.5°C which resulted in low temperature during the first ten days of July and high water temperature during the subsequent ten days. Maximum temperature in plateaus ranged between 35 and 38°C. On August 1-10, average temperature in Armenia was 1-2 °C lower below the required norm. During the subsequent days, it decreased 5-6 degrees.

On August 20-23, we anticipate stable weather, with temperature in lake Sevan being relatively high - 19-20°C. That will be conditioned by relatively low air temperature, which will decrease evaporation rate on water surface and increase water temperature.

Changes in weather conditions are mainly conditioned by global warming which is mostly caused by anthropogenic factors.

«Since 1860, general air temperature has increased by 0.6°C, which strongly affected the earth's weather conditions. In 1935-2007, average temperature increased by 0.6°C in Armenia and 0.85°C – in Yerevan,» Melkonyan said.

Till August 19, there will be almost no precipitations on RA territory, Zaruhi Petrosyan said. On August 20-23, temperature is expected to decrease by 20-23°C. Such lowering will be followed by normal weather without precipitations, with average temperature being about 35°C.