Climate and water in Bulgaria. Climate in Bulgaria: pleasant in many ways
Any potential buyer of property abroad would do well to learn as much as possible about the destination country, its structure, climate conditions, traditions and laws. For those who have chosen Bulgaria, we have prepared a series of articles that will introduce readers to this amazing and diverse country of the Balkan Peninsula. In this article we will talk about the territorial structure of the Bulgarian state, as well as climatic conditions in different regions of the country.
Regions of Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a beautiful country with a population of 7.364 million inhabitants, occupying about one-fourth of the Balkan Peninsula, its eastern part is washed by the waters of the Black Sea. It has land and river borders with Turkey, Greece, Serbia and Romania and sea borders with the states of the Black Sea coast.
Geographically, the Bulgarian state is divided into 28 regions, which in turn are divided into 264 communities. The most famous to Russian citizens are the areas in which the Bulgarian ski, balneological and sea resorts are located. The southern and central parts of Bulgaria are covered with green foothills, as well as snow-capped high mountain peaks. The most visited resort complexes are located in the following areas:
- Blagoevgradskaya (resorts Bansko, Borovets, Malyovitsa);
- Montanaskaya and Lovechskaya (resorts Varshets, Ribaritsa and Teteven);
- Smolyanskaya (Pamporovo Resort);
- Pazardzhikskaya (Velingrad and the mountain resort of Yundola);
- Sofia (Mount Vitosha, located near Sofia).
All seaside resorts in the country are part of three Bulgarian regions:
- Dobrichskaya (Krapets, Albena, Balchik);
- Varna (Varna, Golden Sands, St. Constantine and Helena);
- Burgas (Sozopol, Burgas, Sunny Beach, Nessebar).
The northern regions of Bulgaria are the agricultural heart of the country. In these hilly Danube regions it is grown most of agricultural products. Moreover, Vidinskaya, Montanaskaya, Vratsa, Plevenskaya, Rusenskaya, Silistra regions are border regions with Romania.
Climate in Bulgaria
The climatic conditions in Bulgaria are quite varied, despite its small area. In view of this, the entire territory of the state is located in the continental and Mediterranean climatic zones Oh. Serious factors influencing the weather in the region are the Balkan Mountains and the Rhodope Mountains, which delay flows air masses, as well as the sea, which has a serious impact on weather in the coastal areas of the country.
The climate in Bulgaria is characterized by dry, hot summers ( average temperature 23 degrees C) and cool winters, sometimes with heavy snowfalls. IN northern regions Due to the influence of the Balkan Mountains, the country's average temperature is slightly lower than in the rest of Bulgaria. For those who are interested in resort real estate in the sea areas of the country, we note that this region is characterized by a higher average daily temperature in summer months, as well as warmer and milder winters, especially in the southern Burgas region.
Most of the territory of Bulgaria is dominated by a temperate continental climate with clearly defined four seasons. On the Black Sea coast and in the southern regions the climate is close to the Mediterranean. In the country, the average temperature of the coldest month - January - ranges from -2 to +2 o C. In the mountains, the thermometer can drop to -10... -15 degrees. The average temperature of the warmest month - July - ranges from +18 o C to +24 o C in the northern regions to +28 in the southern and Black Sea coasts, while it rarely exceeds 30 degrees. The annual precipitation is 670 mm, and in the mountains - 800 - 1000 mm. In northern Bulgaria and the Black Sea region the most wet months are May - June, the driest is February. In southern Bulgaria, the maximum precipitation occurs in November - December, the minimum in August. The water in the Black Sea warms up to +25 o C. The climate of Bulgaria is favorable for recreation, especially for residents of the middle zone.
Best time to visit:
Excursion trips around Bulgaria can be made from May to October, and sunbathing and swimming are best in June-September. In July and August, warm, sunny weather sets in (air temperature is not lower than +23 o C and not higher than +30 o C). The sea water remains quite warm until the end of September. For ski lovers, winter is more suitable.
The climate of Bulgaria is generally continental. Winters in Bulgaria are cold and summers are warm or hot. Climatic conditions are slightly milder in the coastal Black Sea regions, and cooler in the hilly regions and mountains. The country is exposed to both cold air masses from Northern Europe or Russia and warm air masses from the Mediterranean and North Africa. In the south, the Rhodope Mountains, separating Bulgaria from Greece, can block southerly flows - but, however, the strongest heat waves can bypass them.
Bulgaria has two large flat regions, between which lies the Stara Planina mountain range, stretching from west to east. In the first such region - the Danube Plain - located north of the mountains, separated from Romania by the Danube River, and where the cities of Ruse and Pleven are located, the average temperature is around -1°C in January, and 22°C in July. In the second region - the Upper Thracian Lowland - located south of the mountains, and where the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora are located, climatic conditions it is slightly warmer, and the average air temperature is 1°C in January, and 23°C in July. The Upper Afrakian lowland is less susceptible to cold waves because the Stara Planina mountains partially block the northern winds. The most cold temperature air temperature recorded in the Danube Plain over the past 20 years is approximately -25°C, and in the Upper Afrakian Lowland - about -15°C.
In the east of Bulgaria, in a region with not a very wide coastal strip, conditions are milder due to the Black Sea. In this region, where the cities of Varna and Burgas are located, winters are cold, but not very cold, with average air temperatures a few degrees above zero (however, cold waves caused by cold winds from Siberia are also possible here); Summer here is warm, or even hot, but regulated by the breeze. In the south-eastern part of Bulgaria, south of Burgas, and closer to the Turkish border, the climate becomes even milder.
In the southwest of the country, in the valley of the Struma River, closer to the border with Greece, the climate of Bulgaria is somewhat milder than in the lowland regions: in the city of Sandanski it is relatively Cold winter, with possible frosts (average air temperature in January is about 2.5°C), and hot summers (average air temperature in July is about 24°C).
The capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, is located in a place (in a valley, at an altitude of 550 meters above sea level), which increases the cold in winter time, and in some cases summer heat Same. The city is located south of the western part of the Stara Planina mountains - in this part the mountains are not very high, so they do not protect the city much from cold air masses. In addition, due to its altitude, the weather conditions in this city are often colder than in all other cities in Bulgaria. The average air temperature here in January is -1.5°C. However, in summer time Sofia is cooler than the lowland regions, again due to the altitude: the average temperature in July here is 20°C, although it can sometimes be very hot, and temperatures can reach 35-37°C, from June to August, but at night it is almost always cool and pleasant here.
In the mountainous regions of Bulgaria, the climate and conditions are cool, and the air temperature is similar to that in the alpine regions.
Rains in Bulgaria
The rains in Bulgaria are not very heavy, because the territory of the country is protected from westerly winds temperate zone, and most of the rain falls over the Adriatic Sea. Annual precipitation is approximately 500-600 millimeters in lowland regions, and even less - up to 500 mm. - in the coastal northeastern regions (city of Varna), which are therefore quite dry; In mountainous regions there is slightly more precipitation.
In winter, in the lowlands, precipitation does not fall in large quantities, but often, and mainly in the form of snow. The rainiest months in Bulgaria are May and June, due to thunderstorms that may occur during the daytime; in coastal regions they occur less frequently, but they occur very frequently and with high rainfall in mountainous regions. As a rule, there is little rain in August and September, and even October can be a dry month, at least in the plains and in Sofia.
Winter in Bulgaria
Winter in the country is cold in all regions. Often cold air remains in the plains, along with clouds and light snowfalls, but these periods can be interrupted by warm winds from the south, which can raise air temperatures to 15°C and above, and, even more often, they can be interrupted by a flow of cold air masses from Russia, bringing with them strong winds followed by severe frosts.
Spring in Bulgaria
Spring in the country is not very rainy, but it is characterized by large temperature changes, especially in March and April, due to the collision of air masses, so the first warm days alternate with cold ones, during which there may be light snowfalls. Typically, from mid-April-May, weather conditions in lowland regions become mild and warm. May also marks the beginning of the season for daytime thunderstorms.
Summer in Bulgaria
Summer in the country is warm, even hot, especially in the interior lowland regions: in the lowlands there is intense heat, especially at a certain distance from the sea. The average maximum temperature is usually around 30-32°C, but days with temperatures in the 40°C range are not that uncommon.
Autumn in Bulgaria
Autumn in the country begins with a pleasant period with little rain. Typically, a relatively sharp turn occurs in October, when cold air masses begin to circulate. However, the rains in the country are not as heavy as at the same time in the Mediterranean, which is explained by the fact that Bulgaria is not directly exposed to western or southern sea currents.
Climate of Bulgaria in different cities of the country
The table below shows the average minimum and maximum air temperatures in different cities and places in Bulgaria throughout the year.
| Plovdiv (south of the country, Upper Afrakian Lowland) | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | But I | Dec | |
| Min °C | -2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Max °C | 4 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 22 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 18 | 10 | 6 |
| Varna ( Black Sea coast) | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | But I | Dec | |
| Min °C | -1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Max °C | 6 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 18 | 13 | 8 |
| Varna (water temperature) | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | But I | Dec | |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 10 | |
| Sofia (capital; altitude - above 500 meters above sea level) | ||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | But I | Dec | |
| Min °C | -5 | -3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 2 | -3 |
| Max °C | 2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 17 | 10 | 4 |
The climate of Bulgaria is in many ways similar to the Ukrainian one - hot summers and cold winters, however, it also has its own distinctive features. Despite the relatively small territory of this country, the climate is still heterogeneous, because there are both mountains and the sea.
The Balkan Mountains create a natural barrier for air masses, influencing the weather throughout the state; in the north the climate is temperate continental. In the south, the climate in Bulgaria is closer to subtropical (something similar to the Mediterranean), thanks to the Black Sea.
August, as well as July in Bulgaria, are the most warm months per year. The sun warms the air to +25..+27 ˚С, light southern and easterly winds they blow with sea coolness, and the northern and northwestern ones occasionally bring with them small refreshing rains. Dark Bulgarian nights retain the warmth of the passing day; the temperature after sunset and until the morning does not drop below +20..+22 ˚C.
Climate in Bulgaria: Golden Sands
When is the best time to vacation in Bulgaria?
The most best time for a holiday in Bulgaria in the summer by the sea - the first half of August. At this time, the air and sea temperatures are most acceptable, and precipitation is rare. Afterwards it starts to get colder. In July, basking in the sun is also a good time. But in June it is rainy.
Best time for ski holiday– January and February, when the likelihood of skiing on real snow is greatest. At the same time, severe frosts, even compared to ours, practically never happen there. But the best months for excursions are April and October.
Bulgaria is located at the junction of two climatic zones. The country's territories are exposed to the Mediterranean and continental climate. Mediterranean weather prevails on the Bulgarian coast, while a continental climate reigns in the center of the state.
Climate of Bulgaria and its characteristics
The lands of the Republic of Bulgaria can be divided into two zones: northern and southern. In the north, the climate is characterized by cold winters and hot summers. In the southern part of the country, the seasons flow more smoothly into each other.
The average winter temperature in Bulgaria is around 2 degrees Celsius. At the height of summer, the average temperature hovers around 24 degrees Celsius.
It falls in the mountains greatest number precipitation. Up to 1000 mm can fall in a year. On the plain, precipitation falls twice as much. The driest month in the republic is February. A large percentage of humidity occurs in May and June.
By mid-summer, the water of the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria heats up to 25 degrees.
Tourists coming to the country from the middle zone best tolerate acclimatization in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria in winter (December, January, February)
In December, the coastal regions of the country are still treated to above-zero temperatures. In the resorts of Bulgaria in the first half of December it is 8 degrees Celsius.
January brings with it snow, rain and fog. Temperatures fluctuate around 15 degrees below zero on the coast January days characterized temperature conditions above zero.
February is one of best months For alpine skiing. The air warms up to 6 degrees Celsius. Sometimes it snows.
Bulgaria in spring (March, April, May)
The weather in Bulgarian March is quite changeable. Temperature changes occur in the range from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Spring comes in full swing in April. At resorts the air temperature reaches 12-16 degrees Celsius. In the mountains, temperatures remain at or near zero.
May in Bulgaria is marked by abundant flowering of gardens. The air heats up to 21 degrees during the day. Heavy downpours occur from time to time.
Bulgaria in summer (June, July, August)
June temperatures rise to 25 degrees, and the sea on the Bulgarian coast warms up to 20 degrees Celsius. The generally accepted swimming season starts in the country in June, although many people start swimming much earlier.
July in Bulgaria can be described as a very hot month. It can be up to 28 degrees outside.
In August, nighttime temperature drops of up to 5 degrees are again possible, but during the day the thermometer shows up to 22 degrees Celsius.
Bulgaria in autumn (September, October, November)
Like many others warm countries, the Velvet season in the republic begins in September. During this period, sometimes hot days still occur.
In October, usually, the first cold snap comes to 12-14 degrees. November is the preparation of nature for winter. At night in November the temperature quickly approaches zero.
