Geological and tectonic structure of the Urals. Climate of the Urals: description of features by region

The Urals is a geographical region of Russia, the basis of which is, and in the south is the river basin of the river. Ural. This geographical area is the natural border between Asia and Europe, east and west. The Urals are roughly divided into the following parts:

• southern;
• northern;
• average;
• circumpolar;
• polar;
• Mugodzhary;
• Pai Hoi.

Features of the climate in the Urals

Features of the climate in the Urals depend on its geographical location. This area is far from the oceans, and is located in the interior of the Eurasian continent. In the north, the Urals borders on the polar seas, and in the south on the Kazakh steppes. Scientists characterize the climate of the Urals as typical mountainous, but on the plains a continental-type climate is observed. Subarctic and temperate climates have a certain influence on this area. climatic zones. In general, the conditions here are very harsh, and the mountains play a significant role, acting as a climatic barrier.

Precipitation

In the west of the Urals there is more precipitation, so the humidity here is moderate. The annual norm is approximately 700 millimeters. In the eastern part there is comparatively less rainfall and there is a dry continental climate. About 400 millimeters of precipitation falls annually. The local climate is strongly influenced by Atlantic air masses, which carry humidity. Arctic air masses also influence, bringing lower temperatures and dryness. In addition, continental Central Asian air circulation can significantly change the weather.

Solar radiation arrives unevenly throughout the region: the southern part of the Urals receives it most, and less and less closer to the north. Talking about temperature conditions, then in the north average temperature in winter it is –22 degrees Celsius, and in the south – –16. In summer in the Northern Urals it is only +8 degrees, while in the Southern Urals it is +20 degrees or more. The Polar part of this geographical area is characterized by long and Cold winter, which lasts about eight months. Summer here is very short, lasting no more than a month and a half. In the south it's the other way around: short winter And long summer, taking four to five months. Autumn and spring season in different parts The Urals differ in duration. Closer to the south, autumn is shorter and spring is longer, but in the north the opposite is true.

Thus, the climate of the Urals is very diverse. Temperature, humidity and solar radiation are distributed unevenly here. Such climatic conditions influenced the species diversity of flora and fauna characteristic of the Urals.

The climate of the Northern Urals is sharply continental, with a long harsh winter and short cool summers. Spring is longer than autumn, since the transition from winter to summer is usually accompanied by frequent returns of cold weather. The general severity of the climate of the Northern Urals is due to the high latitude geographical location, significant absolute and relative height and width of the mountain region, its deep and complex dissection. This determines the typically mountainous climate with vertical changes in climatic zones and significant variability in air temperatures, precipitation and wind speeds over short distances. The meridional elongation of the Northern Urals across the prevailing wind direction (from west to east) also has a significant influence on the climate, which causes differences in the climatic conditions of the European and Asian slopes of the Urals, especially in relation to the distribution of precipitation. There is a lot of precipitation in the Northern Urals: in the most elevated areas of the western slope - from 1000 to 1200 mm per year, in the eastern slope - up to 700 mm. On the plains the amount of precipitation decreases to 400-600 mm. Most of the precipitation (2/3) falls in spring, summer and autumn, the rest in winter.

Winter with negative average daily air temperatures and snow cover on the plains adjacent to the Northern Urals lasts on average about 7 months and from 8 to 9 months in the mountains (above 1000 m). On the plains, stable snow cover usually falls in the third ten days of October and disappears in mid-May, while the mountains are covered with snow already from mid-September, and the snow remains on them until mid-June. At early winter snow covers the plains almost a month earlier (at the end of September), and when late spring It stays for 2 weeks longer than usual (until the end of May). On the contrary, with a prolonged autumn, winter sets in only in mid-November, and with early spring the snow melts 3 weeks earlier than usual (late April).

The height and density of snow cover in the mountains and plains of the Northern Urals are different. In the taiga, to the west of the ridge, December is deep winter. The height of the snow cover reaches 50-70 cm; the snow is still loose (density 0.18-0.20 g/cm3), skis sink deep into it. Thick pillows of snow hang on the wide paws of spruce and fir trees, dead wood and windfall are covered with snow, swamps and rivers are frozen.

In March, there are already meter-long snowdrifts in the taiga; As you rise into the mountains, the height of the snow cover gradually increases (on average by 60-70 cm per 100 m of height) and at the upper border of the forest reaches 2-3 m in places. By this time, the snow in the taiga becomes more dense (0.25-0. 28 g/cm 3), the skis sag less and it is much easier to go than in the first months of winter. Above the forest boundary, the height of the snow cover decreases to several tens of centimeters, since the snow here is blown away by strong winds into the gorges and towards the forest boundary; Thanks to the wind, the surface of the snow becomes so dense (density in the alpine belt is more than 0.40 g/cm3) that it can easily withstand the weight of the skier.

To the east of the ridge there is little snow, it is looser than in the Cis-Urals, and even in March, when the snowdrifts are the deepest in the taiga, the height of the snow cover usually reaches only 50-60 cm; In winters with little snow, there is so little snow that you can walk through the forest without skis.

The coldest winter month in the Northern Urals is January, with an average temperature of minus 19-22° and a minimum of minus 50-54°; To the east of the ridge, winter is colder than to the west. Almost the same cold weather stands in December and February: the average temperature of these months is nowhere higher than minus 15-17°, and in the coldest winters the alcohol column in the thermometer sometimes drops to minus 48-53°.

On clear frosty days, the high regions of the Urals are characterized by a temperature inversion, when the ridges are 5-10° warmer than the adjacent plains. On the contrary, in cloudy days with wind and snowfall, the plains are about 5° warmer than the highlands (above 1000 m).

Winter days in the Northern Urals are short: in December and January the duration daylight hours only 6-7 hours. Of course, this time is not enough for tourists to make day trips, get ready in the morning, and set up a camp for the night. But you can go after sunset. In clear weather they light up in the dark sky bright stars. Their flickering light faintly illuminates the forests. When the moon rises, the taiga lights up brightly blue light and the snow begins to glow with a phosphorescent sheen. It immediately becomes light in the forest, and the group can continue on their way.

It’s quite good to walk along a snow-covered river on such a night: the white veil of snow reflects the scattered light of the stars and the night sky. Visible far ahead white stripe rivers. The frozen forest stands like a dark wall along the banks. And the frost gets stronger in the evening. Silence, only occasionally the ice on the river or a tree in the taiga cracks loudly from severe frost. My cheeks and nose are already starting to tingle, my hands are freezing; I want to quickly get to the hunting hut, warm myself by the fire, have dinner, drink tea and go to bed.

Many small hunting huts with tiny windows are scattered deep in the taiga forests of the Northern Urals, sometimes hundreds of kilometers from the nearest housing. In the Pechora region they are called kerks. What could be more pleasant when tired travelers encounter such a hut in the taiga! There is no need to pitch tents and prepare for a cold night; in the hut there will always be matches, salt, firewood, a bed for sleeping, and sometimes food. A stove, a rough wooden table, a couple of stools, bunks and a lamp - all the furniture of a hunting lodge. But when the firewood crackles merrily in the hearth, the room becomes warm, and a hot dinner and tea appear on the table - you can’t even dream of a better night’s sleep. From time immemorial, taiga hunters have a custom: use everything in the hut, but don’t take anything with you, and when leaving, prepare firewood and, most importantly, leave matches for someone else.

It is not easy to find a hunting hut in the snow-covered taiga. When they build a hut on the bank of a river, they usually cut off the branches at the top of the tree - this symbol so that everyone from afar can know about the proximity of a warm, cozy overnight stay. If the hunting lodge is located deep in the forest, a barely noticeable path or notches in the trees usually lead to it; Fresh patches in the taiga glow like lanterns, and from them, no worse than from a good map, they determine the path to the hut.

Winter weather in the Northern Urals is quite constant. Sometimes there are quiet, clear, frosty days for weeks, but when a warm wind blows from the south or southwest, snowfalls and blizzards begin. In winter, winds from this direction are most frequent. In the taiga on the plain strong winds are observed rarely, the average wind speed in winter months on the plain almost everywhere it is 3-4 m/sec, and the number of snowstorms during the winter is only about 30-40. In the mountains, especially on the high Telpos ridge, winds are often strong (more than 15 m/sec), and there are 2-3 times more snowstorms here than on the plains.

In the taiga, a blizzard does not really bother tourists, but in the mountains, where there is no forest, blizzards and snowstorms can delay the group for a long time.

March is the most favorable month for ski tourists: the days are much longer (daylight hours are 11-14 hours), the sun is shining like spring, although frosts in the coldest winters can reach minus 45-48°. The average March temperature in various areas of the foothills ranges from 9 to 12° below zero, and in the mountains reaches minus 15°. Thaws are quite rare, and if they happen, it is usually only during the day, and by night it freezes again.

Average temperatures in April are negative everywhere (minus 0.5-3°), but tourists must finish ski routes no later than the 15th; In April there are frequent thaws and the snow can greatly delay skiing. Avalanches are most likely to occur on the Telpos ridge in April, so you need to be especially careful here at this time.

Summer in the Northern Urals is short. Frost-free period on the plains northern regions lasts an average of 70 days, southern - 110 days. In some years, even in the south of the territory, frosts occur as early as the end of June, and in the first half of August frosts are already possible at night.

In the mountains, summer is even shorter and cooler than on the plains. Slight frosts in the mountains occur even in July, and in June the temperature sometimes drops to minus 5-7°. In mid-July, there are still large patches of snow on the slopes of the Telpos ridge, and in early August snowstorms often howl. For a day, sometimes the three highest slopes of the ridges are covered with a white blanket, but as soon as the sun shines, it immediately becomes warm, and there is no snow in the mountains.

Warm sunny days in the mountains of the Northern Urals begin in mid-June, 10-12 days later than on the foothill plains. At the beginning of June, bird cherry, rowan, and rose hips are already blooming along the river valleys; wild rosemary, blueberries, and lingonberries are in the taiga; in the mountains, at this time, only the first spring flowers appear, and the most high ridges covered with snow caps.

July is the warmest month. On the plains, the average July temperature varies from 15° in the northern regions to 17° in the southern; in June and August the average temperature is 2-3° lower than in July.

As you go up the mountains it becomes cooler, mosquitoes and midges disappear, but it rains more often and more heavily.

Over the past 30-40 years, the Northern Urals have seen a general warming of the climate and an improvement in summer weather. But from year to year summer weather changes a lot. From 1957 to 1967 there were only 3 cool years rainy summer, when the air temperature rarely rose to 25°. Often the days were cloudy, with light drizzle. On the western slope of the Urals, sometimes it rained for several days in a row with a strong cold westerly wind, the mountains were shrouded in thick dark clouds for weeks.

All other years over the past decade have been warm in summer and it rarely rained. Sometimes there were hot sunny days for 2-3 weeks. In July, the temperature in some places rose to 33-35°; Due to the heat and lack of rain, the swamps dried up, the rivers became shallow, mosquitoes and midges almost completely disappeared, and forest fires started in many places. By the end of July, the water, even in the upper reaches of the rivers, had warmed up to 20° and the fish, escaping the heat, rushed to the sources of small mountain rivers with cooler water. During these years, fishermen were amazed at the abundance of fish in the upper reaches of the rivers.

Almost all of June and half of July in the Northern Urals has white nights. During their hours, the singing of birds ceases, and nature falls asleep. The sky and clouds are painted in soft pink tones, and an unusual silence sets in. “The silence of the white night cannot be shouted down,” say residents of the North. The beauty of the white nights will forever remain in the memory of a person who was here at this time. It is convenient to use the coolness and absence of darkness during the white nights for movement, and use the hot summer day for rest and sleep.

Summer weather in the Northern Urals, especially in the mountains, is unstable and can change quickly. The change from dry, warm weather to bad, rainy weather almost always occurs with western and northwestern winds, which bring not only low, continuous clouds and rain (sometimes snowfall), but also a sharp cooling. Eastern and southeastern winds, on the contrary, bring dry and warm weather with a predominance of cumulus clouds. If rain falls with these winds, it is in the form of short, intense downpours, often accompanied by thunderstorms.

We observed a particularly dramatic change in weather on the Telpos ridge in 1959. From the end of June, there were ten days of warm, sunny weather in the ridge area with a weak southeast wind. On July 7 at 8 pm the air temperature was 22°. Quiet. The sky is clear. The air is crystal clear and transparent, as it can only be in the North. At midnight, the huge fiery red disk of the sun slowly approached the horizon, and then traced across it for a long time, becoming more and more flattened and stretched out. The fiery ribbon of sunset filled the entire northern part of the horizon. But then it went out. The mountains immediately seemed higher. Their majestic dark silhouettes, clear as if carved from bone, rose to the bright starless sky, painted in delicate pale pink tones. The white night has arrived. But we didn’t have to watch the sunrise. Immediately after sunset, a westerly wind rose, driving up low, heavy clouds; went light rain. Everything around became dull, gray and unsightly.

Summer weather and duration of summer are not the same to the west and east of the ridge. Since much heavier snow accumulates on the western slope during the winter than on the eastern slope, and cold northwest winds often blow, spring to the west of the ridge is delayed, warm days autumn colds arrive later, and autumn colds occur earlier, than east of the ridge. In some years, more precipitation falls on the eastern slope during the summer-autumn period than on the western slope, but the rains here are of a torrential nature (thunderstorms are frequent), are much more intense, but less frequent and occur mainly in August and partly in July.

On the western slope, the main amount of precipitation falls in September; the rains, as a rule, are heavy, drizzling, fall more often, last longer, and are often accompanied by fogs.

At the same time, the weather to the west and east of the ridge is usually different. Crossing the Ural ridge more than once, we witnessed how over the ridge and to the west of it there was cold rain and the bad weather was raging, but a few kilometers east of the watershed the sun was shining brightly, it was quiet and warm.

At the end of August, summer ends, the nights become long, dark, frosts are frequent, and fog creeps in the river valleys. Leaves on birch, bird cherry, rowan trees and needles on larches turn yellow. Along the river banks, against the backdrop of dark green spruce and fir trees, the yellowness of the birch trees stands out especially sharply. The taiga at this time abounds in blueberries, blueberries, lingonberries and cloudberries, and if there were warm rains in the fall, the forest is full of mushrooms.

In September it rains more often and there is snow in the mountains. By the middle of the month, the highest peaks of the ridges are already white with snow. Snow also falls in the taiga, but it melts immediately. In a month, winter comes to the taiga. In October, the average monthly temperature is already negative everywhere, and on the coldest days it reaches 20-25°. November in the Northern Urals is a deep winter with heavy snowfalls and severe frosts. The average November temperature in different regions ranges from 9 to 12° below zero, and in the coldest winters reaches 42-46°.

The climate of the Urals is typical mountainous; precipitation is distributed unevenly not only across regions, but also within each region. The West Siberian Plain is a territory with a harsh continental climate; V meridional direction its continentality increases much less sharply than on the Russian Plain. Mountain climate Western Siberia less continental than climate West Siberian Plain. Interestingly, within the same zone on the plains of the Cis-Urals and Trans-Urals natural conditions noticeably different. This is explained by the fact that Ural Mountains serve as a kind of climate barrier. To the west of them there is more precipitation, the climate is more humid and mild; to the east, that is, beyond the Urals, there is less precipitation, the climate is drier, with pronounced continental features.

The climate of the Urals is varied. The mountains stretch for 2000 km in the meridional direction, and the northern part of the Urals is located in the Arctic and receives much less solar radiation than the southern part of the Urals, located south of 55 degrees north latitude.

Average January temperature in the Northern Urals: -20…-22 degrees;

Average January temperature in the South Urals: -16 degrees;

Average July temperature in the Northern Urals: +8 degrees;

The average January temperature in the South Urals: +20 degrees.

The climate of the Urals is typical mountainous; precipitation is distributed unevenly not only across regions, but also within each region. The West Siberian Plain is a territory with a harsh continental climate; in the meridional direction its continentality increases much less sharply than on the Russian Plain. The climate of the mountainous regions of Western Siberia is less continental than the climate of the West Siberian Plain. The Ural Mountains stand as an obstacle to the movement of the Atlantic air masses. The western slope encounters cyclones more often and is better moistened. On average, it receives 100 mm more precipitation than the eastern one.

The climate of the Urals is determined by its position among the plains of Eurasia, the small height and width of the mountains. The huge extent of the Urals from North to South causes zonal climate change. That is, the difference between North and South. The contrast is sharp in the summer. The average temperature in the north is + 80C, in the south + 220C. In winter, the differences smooth out in the south - 160C, in the north - 200C. The continental climate increases from North-West to South - East.

Precipitation on the western slopes is 700mm. On the east 400mm. Why? Which ocean influences. (Atlantic).

The western slopes encounter cyclones from the Atlantic and are more humidified. The second part is from the Arctic, as well as continental Central Asian air masses.
The influence of relief affects the shift of the climatic zones of the Urals from north to south. Due to climate differences, the nature of the Urals will be diverse.

Features of nature
The Ural Mountains consist of low ridges and massifs. The highest of them, rising above 1200-1500 m, are located in the Subpolar (Mount Narodnaya - 1875 m), Northern (Mount Telposis - 1617 m) and Southern (Mount Yamantau - 1640 m) Urals. The massifs of the Middle Urals are much lower, usually no higher than 600-800 m. The western and eastern foothills of the Urals and foothill plains are often dissected by deep river valleys; there are many rivers in the Urals and the Urals. There are relatively few lakes, but here are the sources of the Pechora and the Urals. Several hundred ponds and reservoirs have been created on the rivers. The Ural Mountains are old (they arose in the Late Proterozoic) and are located in the region of the Hercynian fold.

Fauna
In the north you can meet the inhabitants of the tundra - reindeer, and in the south the typical inhabitants of the steppes are gophers, shrews, snakes and lizards. Forests are inhabited by predators: brown bears, wolves, wolverines, foxes, sables, ermines, lynxes. They are home to ungulates (elk, deer, roe deer, etc.) and birds various types. A couple of centuries ago animal world was richer than now. Plowing, hunting, and deforestation have displaced and destroyed the habitats of many animals. Wild horses, saigas, bustards, and little bustards have disappeared. Herds of deer migrated deeper into the tundra. But rodents (hamsters, field mice) have spread on the plowed lands.

Flora
The differences in landscapes are noticeable as you climb. In the Southern Urals, for example, the path to the tops of the largest Zigalga ridge begins with crossing a strip of hills and ravines at the foot, densely overgrown with bushes. Then the road goes through pine, birch and aspen forests, among which there are grassy glades. Spruces and firs rise above like a palisade. Dead wood is almost invisible - it burns out during frequent forest fires. In flat areas there may be swamps. The peaks are covered with stone deposits, moss and grass. The rare and stunted spruces and crooked birches that come across here do not in any way resemble the landscape at the foot, with multi-colored carpets of herbs and shrubs. Fires on high altitude are already powerless, so the path is constantly blocked by rubble from fallen trees. The top of Mount Yamantau (1640 m) is a relatively flat area, but it is almost inaccessible due to a pile of old trunks.

Natural resources
From natural resources Ural vital importance have it mineral resources. The Urals have long been the country's largest mining and metallurgical base. Back in the 16th century. On the western outskirts of the Urals, deposits of rock salt and sandstones containing copper were known. In the 17th century, quite numerous iron deposits became known and ironworks appeared. Gold placers and platinum deposits were found in the mountains, on the eastern slope - gems. The skill of searching for ore, smelting metal, making weapons and artistic items from it, and processing gems was passed on from generation to generation.

In the Urals there are numerous deposits of high-quality iron ores(mountains Magnitnaya, Vysokaya, Blagodat, Kachkanar), copper ores (Mednogorsk, Karabash, Sibay), rare non-ferrous metals, gold, silver, platinum, the best bauxite in the country, stone and potassium salts(Solikamsk, Berezniki, Berezovskoye, Vazhenskoye, Ilyetskoye). There is oil in the Urals (Ishimbay), natural gas(Orenburg), coal, asbestos, precious and semiprecious stones. The hydropower potential of the Ural rivers (Pavlovskaya, Yumaguzinskaya, Shirokovskaya, Iriklinskaya and several small hydroelectric power stations) remains a far from fully developed resource.

Physiography Russia and USSR
European part: Arctic, Russian Plain, Caucasus, Ural

REGIONAL NATURE REVIEWS IN RUSSIA

Chapters of the section "REGIONAL REVIEWS OF NATURE IN RUSSIA"

• Natural areas of Russia
• Ural
  • Climate and surface waters

see also nature photographs of the Urals(with geographical and biological captions for photographs) from the section Natural landscapes of the world:

Climate and surface waters

The Urals lie inland, far away from the Atlantic Ocean. This determines its continentality climate. Climatic heterogeneity within the Urals is associated primarily with its large extent from north to south, from the shores of the Barents and Kara seas to the dry steppes of Kazakhstan. As a result, the northern and southern regions of the Urals find themselves in different radiation and circulation conditions and fall into different climatic zones- subarctic (up to the Arctic Circle) and temperate (the rest of the territory).

The mountain belt is narrow, the heights of the ridges are relatively small, so the Urals do not have their own special mountain climate. However, meridionally elongated mountains quite significantly influence circulation processes, playing the role of a barrier to the dominant westerly transport of air masses. Therefore, although the climates of the neighboring plains are repeated in the mountains, but in a slightly modified form. In particular, at any crossing of the Urals in the mountains, a climate of more northern regions is observed than on the adjacent plains of the foothills, i.e. climatic zones in the mountains are shifted to the south compared to the neighboring plains.

Thus, within the Ural mountainous country, the change climatic conditions subordinated law of latitudinal zonality and only slightly complicated altitudinal zone. Here it is observed climate change from tundra to steppe.

Temperature contrasts between north and south are especially pronounced in summer. In the northeastern part of Pai-Khoi, the average July temperature is 6°C, and near the southern border of the Urals it is 22°C. In winter, the differences are smoothed out, despite the fact that the difference in the amount of solar radiation in winter is much sharper than in summer, when the decrease in the angle of incidence of solar rays to the north is compensated by an increase in the duration of sunshine.

The fact is that the north of the Urals in winter is under the influence of cyclonic activity on the Arctic front, passing along a trough of low pressure, which is located above the water area Barents Sea. Cyclones bring warmer sea air from the North Atlantic and western Arctic to the northern regions of the country. In addition, the Barents Sea serves as some source of heat and moisture in winter due to warm waters, brought into it by the North Cape Current.

Pai Khoi is located at the junction of the influence of the cold Kara Sea and the relatively warm Barents Sea, and therefore experiences the contradictory influence of air masses forming over their water areas. The lowest winter temperatures are observed in the northeastern part of the Urals, at the foot of the Polar and Subpolar Urals. The average January temperature here is -22°C, but for the polar latitudes this is not a particularly low temperature.

The southern part of the Urals in winter is mainly under the influence of cold continental air masses from the Asian High, so January temperatures here are quite low (-17°C in the southern part of the Trans-Urals, -16°C in the south of the Urals).

Thus, the difference in average January temperatures between the northeast and southwest of the Urals is 6°C, and the difference in average July temperatures between the north and south is 16°C. The increase in continentality within the Urals occurs from northwest to southeast. The duration and time of onset of the seasons of the year are associated with the latitudinal zonality of temperature conditions. Thus, in the Polar Urals, winter lasts eight months, and summer lasts only one and a half months. To the south, winter becomes shorter, and summer lengthens by 2-2.5 times.

Being an obstacle to the movement of air masses from west to east, the Urals serves as an example of a physical-geographical country where the influence of orography on climate is quite clearly manifested. This impact is primarily manifested in better moisture on the western slope, which is the first to encounter cyclones, and the Cis-Urals. At all crossings of the Urals, the amount of precipitation on the western slopes is 150-200 mm more than on the eastern.

The greatest amount of precipitation (over 1000 mm) falls on the western slopes of the Polar, Subpolar and partially Northern Urals. This is due to both the height of the mountains and their position on the main paths of Atlantic cyclones. To the south, the amount of precipitation gradually decreases to 600-700 mm, increasing again to 850 mm in the highest part Southern Urals. In the southern and southeastern parts of the Urals, as well as in the far north, the annual precipitation is less than 500-450 mm. Maximum precipitation occurs during the warm period.

In winter, snow cover sets in in the Urals. Its thickness in the Cis-Ural region is 70-90 cm. In the mountains, the snow thickness increases with height, reaching 1.5-2 m on the western slopes of the Subpolar and Northern Urals. Snow is especially abundant in the upper part of the forest belt. There is much less snow in the Trans-Urals. In the southern part of the Trans-Urals its thickness does not exceed 30-40 cm.

In general, within the Ural region mountainous country The climate varies from harsh and cold in the north to continental and fairly dry in the south. There are noticeable differences in the climate of the mountainous regions, western and eastern foothills. The climate of the Cis-Urals and the western slopes of the mountains is, in a number of ways, close to the climate of the eastern regions of the Russian Plain, and the climate of the eastern slopes of the mountains and the Trans-Urals is close to the continental climate of Western Siberia.

The rugged terrain of the mountains determines a significant diversity of their local climates. Here, temperatures change with altitude, although not as significant as in the Caucasus. In summer, temperatures drop. For example, in the foothills of the Subpolar Urals the average July temperature is 12°C, and at altitudes of 1600-1800 m it is only 3-4°C. In winter, cold air stagnates in intermountain basins and temperature changes are observed. inversions. As a consequence, the degree of continental climate in basins is much higher than on mountain ranges. Therefore, mountains of unequal heights, slopes of different wind and solar exposure, mountain ranges and intermountain basins differ from each other in their climatic features.

Climatic features and orographic conditions contribute to the development of small forms in the Polar and Subpolar Urals, between 68 and 64°C N. modern glaciation. There are 143 glaciers here, and their total area is just over 28 km 2, which indicates the very small size of the glaciers. It is not for nothing that when speaking about modern glaciation of the Urals, the word “glaciers” is usually used. Their main types are carts(2/3 of the total) and leaning against(slope). Eat hanging gorges And carovo-valley. The largest of them are the glaciers of IGAN (area 1.25 km 2, length 1.8 km) and MSU (area 1.16 km 2, length 2.2 km).

The area of ​​distribution of modern glaciation is the highest part of the Urals with the widespread development of ancient glacial cirques and cirques, with the presence of trough valleys and peaked peaks. Relative heights reach 800-1000 m. The Alpine type of relief is most typical for ridges lying to the west of the watershed, but cirques and cirques are located mainly on the eastern slopes of these ridges. The greatest amount of precipitation falls on these same ridges, but due to blowing snow and avalanche snow coming from steep slopes, snow accumulates in negative forms of leeward slopes, providing food for modern glaciers, which exist due to this at altitudes of 800-1200 m, i.e. i.e. below the climatic limit.

The rivers of the Urals belong to the basins Pechora, Volga, Urals And Obi, i.e. the Barents, Caspian and Kara seas, respectively. The amount of river flow in the Urals is much greater than on the adjacent Russian and West Siberian plains. Mountainous terrain, an increase in precipitation, and a decrease in temperature in the mountains favor an increase in runoff, so most of the rivers and streams of the Urals are born in the mountains and flow down their slopes to the west and east, to the plains of the Cis-Urals and Trans-Urals. In the north, the mountains are a watershed between the Pechora and Ob river systems, and to the south, between the basins of the Tobol, which also belongs to the Ob and Kama system, the largest tributary of the Volga. The extreme south of the territory belongs to the Ural River basin, and the watershed shifts to the Trans-Ural plains.

The Urals are characterized by an increase in runoff from south to north up to the Polar Urals and a slight decrease in it at Pai-Khoi. The highest flow is observed on the western slope of the Subpolar and Polar Urals (up to 40 l/sec/km2). On the eastern slope of the mountains it is significantly lower. In the south-eastern Trans-Urals it decreases sharply and amounts to only 1-3 l/sec/km 2 .

In accordance with the distribution of flow, the rivers on the western slope have more water than those on the eastern slope. They account for 74% of the total annual runoff from the entire territory of the Urals. The most extensive and abundant river network is the Kama basin. The tributaries of the Pechora flowing from the Urals are also rich in water.

They take part in feeding rivers snowy(up to 70% of consumption), rain(20-30%) and The groundwater(usually no more than 20%). The participation of groundwater in feeding rivers in karst areas increases significantly (up to 40%). An important feature of most rivers of the Urals is the relatively small flow variability from year to year. The ratio of the runoff of the wettest year to the runoff of the leanest year usually ranges from 1.5 to 3.

Due to the very large water consumption of the industrial Urals and the discharge of wastewater, many rivers suffer from pollution by industrial waste, so the issues of water supply, protection and water treatment are especially relevant here.

Lakes in the Urals are distributed very unevenly. The largest number of them is concentrated in the eastern foothills of the Middle and Southern Urals, where tectonic lakes predominate, in the mountains of the Subpolar and Polar Urals, where tarn lakes are numerous. Suffusion-subsidence lakes are common on the Trans-Ural Plateau, and karst lakes are found in the Cis-Urals. In total, there are more than 6,000 lakes in the Urals, each with an area of ​​more than 1 hectare, their total area is over 2,000 km 2. Small lakes predominate; there are relatively few large lakes.

Only some lakes in the eastern foothills have an area measured in tens of square kilometers: Argazi(101 km 2), Uvildy(71 km 2), Irtyash(70 km 2), Turgoyak(27 km 2), etc. In total, more than 60 large lakes with a total area of ​​about 800 km 2 are concentrated in the Iset River basin. All large lakes are of tectonic origin. The deepest lake is Bolshoye Shchuchye(136 m) in the Polar Urals, the tectonic basin of which was subsequently processed by a glacier.

The “Stone Belt” of the Ural Range stretches in the meridional direction for more than 2.5 thousand km, so the climate of this territory varies quite significantly from north to south. The Urals are divided into several physical-geographical provinces, differing in climate indicators. In general, the climate is typical mountainous, its continentality increases from the Cis-Urals to the Trans-Urals, since the ridge is a clearly defined climatic barrier on the path of Western Atlantic cyclones.

Climate of the Pai Khoi Range

The northern spur of the Urals is the low-mountain, heavily destroyed Pai-Khoi ridge, located on the Yugra Peninsula; structurally and morphologically its rocky ridges continue on Vaygach Island. Pai Khoi has a harsh subarctic climate, with winter lasting up to 230 days. The average temperature in January is -20°C, the absolute minimum is -51°C.

The summer period is short, cold with an average temperature in July of +6°C, some warm and fine days, an absolute maximum temperature of +33°C. There is very little precipitation on the coast of the cold Kara Sea, 200-400 mm per year. Pai Khoi is located in an area of ​​cold storms and permafrost.

Climate of the Polar Urals

The mid-mountain region of the Polar Urals stretches from the city of “Konstantinov Kamen” with an elevation of 492 m in the north to the Khulgi river valley. The highest of the mountain peaks of this province of the Urals is the city of Payer with an elevation of 1472 m. In the polar group of ridges, the climatic conditions are very severe, subarctic, in the south they are moderate, sharply continental.

The region is located on the border of the stable Siberian anticyclone region and areas susceptible to the action of Atlantic warm cyclones. Therefore, the region's climate is unstable with heavy snowfalls, blizzards and severe frosts. Cyclones come from the west, and the western mountain slopes are characterized by 2-3 times more precipitation than the eastern slopes on the same mountain peaks.

Winter climate period in the local mountains it lasts up to eight months, the average temperature in January here is -23.5°C, the absolute minimum is -52.4°C. In winter, the region may experience a specific phenomenon called temperature inversion, during such periods, temperatures in intermountain basins are 5-10° lower than high in the mountains.

Summer in the Polar Urals region is short, cold, with extremely unstable weather conditions, hot fine days here can quickly give way to a sharp drop in temperature, possible frost, cold rain and often hail. The average July temperature is +13.2°C, the maximum temperature rises to +33.8°C. The precipitation here is 530 mm per year.

Climate of the Subpolar Urals

The highest among the geographical provinces of the Ural range is the so-called Subpolar Urals, stretching from the sources of the Khulga River to the top of Telposis. This is where highest peak mountain system Narodnaya with an elevation of 1895 m. Climatic conditions of this region noticeably softer than in the ridges of the Polar Urals.

The climate here is sharply continental with long and harsh winters, short cool summers and a small number of hot days. The average January air temperature is -20.4°C, while the minimum can drop to -53.7°C. The number of days with persistent frost and snow cover is up to 200 per year.

The summer period in the Subpolar Urals is short and cold with an average July temperature of +14.8°C, the absolute temperature on some days can rise to +32.2°C, sunlight and heat the territory receives 74 kcal/cm2. The severity of the local climate is determined by the northern position of the territory and the altitude of individual areas. It is the Subpolar Urals that are characterized highest precipitation Among the Ural regions, up to 1500 mm falls here on the western mountain slope.

Climate of the Northern Urals

The region of the mid-mountain, remote and inaccessible Northern Urals is quite extensive, it is located south of the peak, which is often called the “Nest of the Winds” of Telposis with an altitude of 1617 m near 64o N. w. to Mount Konzhakovsky Kamen with a height of 1569 m at 59° N. w.

The climate in the mountains of the Northern Urals is temperate continental with cold, long, snowy winters and short, cool summers. The average January temperature is -19.1°C, the absolute minimum is -48.6°C; much more snow falls on the western side of the mountains; snow lies in mountain valleys for up to 230 days a year.

The average July temperature is +14.2°C, maximum temperatures can rise to +33.7°C, the weather here in summer is unstable with frequent heavy rains. Precipitation in the mountains is 850-950 mm per year. Permafrost found everywhere in pockets of do, located in the south of the Konzhakovsky Kamen region.

Climate of the Middle Urals

The region of the low-mountain, isolated from other regions of the mountainous country, the Middle Urals, is located between the peak of Konzhakovsky Kamen (61° N) in the north and the city of Yuma (55° N) in the south. The formation of the climatic conditions of the region is strongly influenced by warm Atlantic winds from the west. Due to the rapid change of alternating winds, the weather in the region is extremely unstable.

The significant distance from the warm Atlantic and the proximity of harsh Siberia made the climate in the region typical continental, which is expressed in a sharp change in annual and daily temperatures. The Middle Urals region is a natural obstacle to the path of warm Atlantic cyclones to the east; noticeably more rain and snow falls on its western slope than on the eastern one.

Also, the Middle Urals do not interfere with the movement of cold Arctic air far to the south, or dry and hot Kazakh winds to the north. This is also a factor in the instability of local weather. Winter in the region lasts up to five months, cold and frosty with frequent snowfalls and blizzards.

With the arrival of Arctic air comes long periods of clear and very frosty weather. The temperature here in January averages -18°C; during frosty periods it can even drop to -50°C. During the winter climatic period, meter layers of snow can accumulate in mountain valleys; it begins to melt in April; in dense windfall forests or on mountain peaks it continues to melt until the end of May.

Summer in the region is quite warm and hot, with July temperatures averaging +18°C; on some hot days it can rise to +37°C. The frost-free period here lasts up to 120 days. In the very north of the region, summers are often rainy, often with significant cold snaps. On the western slopes of the mountains up to 700 mm of precipitation can fall, on the eastern slopes less, up to 450-500 mm annually.

Climate of the Southern Urals

The orographically expanded region of the Southern Urals stretches 550 km from the city of Yurma at 56° north. w. to the low Mugodzhary mountains located in Kazakhstan. Its highest point is the city of Yamantau with an altitude of 1640 m. The territory is characterized by a sharply continental climate with elements of drought with cold winters lasting up to 5 months, moderately warm and quite hot summers.

Winter weather in the region is determined by the extensive and stable Asian anticyclone, which periodically arrives in the territory from Siberia. In summer, cold winds often come from the Kara Sea; they alternate in the region with tropical Central Asian winds. The continental nature of the local climate gradually increases from northwest to southeast.

Winter, lasting here from November to March, is severe with a predominance of clear and fairly frosty days. When the winds change, snowstorms are observed here. The average January temperature in the region is -22°C, the minimum temperature drops to -45°C. Sometimes Atlantic cyclones come here and bring a thaw with rain, sleet and fog. Snow cover with heavy snowfall can reach one meter.

Spring is late here and there are frequent frosts. In the off-season, you can especially clearly observe the alternation of clear days with cloudy gloomy rainy days. The snow melts by mid-April, sometimes it can persist until May. Unstable weather contributes to the spring thaw. Frosts last in the mountains until early July.

Summer in the region is moderately warm, with thunderstorms and very heavy rains quite often. The average monthly July temperature in this area is +19°C; on some hot days it can rise to +34°C. By August, precipitation becomes much less, the amount of sunny days, frosts are often observed.

Autumn here is cool, rainy, sometimes with strong gusty winds. But September often pleases with fine days with plenty of sun and inevitable frosts in the mornings. Rain and fog can be prolonged, sometimes up to 15 days a month. Precipitation in the region ranges from 350 to 700 mm annually, with rain mainly occurring in the summer.

Climate of the Mugodzhary Mountains

The southern spur of the Ural ridge are low stone ridges, the Mugodzhary hills. The average height of the Mugodzhar mountains is 300-400 m, the highest point of the mountain system is Boktybay with a height of 657 m. The climate in the Mugodzhar hills is sharply continental with cold winters with little snow and dry hot summers. A peculiarity of the local climate is that it is similar to the climate of the neighboring arid plains to the south.

Although the Mugodzhar hills are low, they prevent the movement of air masses to the east and retain precipitation on their slopes. Winter in Mugodzhary is cold with strong storms, the average temperature in January is -14°C, the minimum drops to -40°C. In July, the average temperature is +24°C; on some hot days it can rise to +38°C. Precipitation in Mugodzhary is 250-300 mm annually, mainly in the form of rain in summer.