Climate of Armenia

Armenia's different varieties of climates depend on the absolute height of the land. They vary from cold desert on the lower parts of the Ararat plain, to tundra on mountain peaks. The following six basic types can be distinguished. Another type of climate is the dry continental type. It prevails along the middle reaches of the Arax up to an elevation of 1,300 m. It differs from the dry subtropical climate by its cold winters.

Tundra climate, at the northern peak of Mt. Aragats.
Cold desert climate, at Goravan Sands Sanctuary.

History

According to historical sources, in ancient times the winter was the same as it is today, fairly cold in the Armenian lowlands and high in the mountains. 4th century B.C. Greek historian Xenophon, in his Anabasis (The Retreat of the 10,000), which describes the retreat of 10,000 Greek mercenaries through the Armenian mountains into the autumn, related that at night, when the soldiers were asleep, snow fell in the mountains and covered the men and their weapons. He wrote that the snow that fell in one night was about one meter deep. In the same work he noted that the Armenians protected themselves against the freezing frost by rubbing fat or almond oil into their bodies. Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi (5th century A. D.) described the climate of the Ararat plain as hot and dry in the summer.

Human settlementHeightPrecipitation (mm)Daily mean °CAverage snow depthMaximum snow depthMinimum snow depthDays of snowHumidity %
Bagratashen45344411.772
Ijevan73256310.6102813873
Vanadzor13505867.4173837271
Stepanavan13976836.6195347373
Tashir15077135.8173727275
Spitak15524397.1125626369
Chambarak18615574.81637510274
Meghri62725913.852702161
Kapan70554411.5103223471
Artashat82923511.1104403965
Armavir86124411.3104204560
Yerevan94231611.4124604460
Eghvard13174079.8286807462
Areni100935711.8144056
Eghegnadzor126739810.8185066
Sisian15803656.6123437368
Gyumri15564775.8266149670
Talin15824357.9246428259
Artik17505165.8225159566
Fantan17986406.050791312466
Aparan12916514.356921012569
Sevan19365564.03683313674
Mets Mazra19403904.22135710969
Martuni19954575.6267529867
Yankh23344882.7641023316072
Paghakn (Shurabad)20045741.853811713874
Aragats (mount)33291065-2.71662356625273[1]

See also

References


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