There is a stereotype that Kazan is quite warm. And many, having arrived in the capital of Tatarstan in the winter, are very surprised to see severe frosts there. The climate in Kazan is actually very similar to the climate of the capital of Russia. And what's more, it's even a little colder.
What is the climatic region in Kazan?
From the point of view of meteorology, it is believed that Kazan has a temperate continental climate region. In general, a temperate climate means that there are no severe frosts and suffocating heat in the region.
But in fact, if we consider central Russia, then compared with many other cities in Kazan, the climate is close to moderately cold. The average temperature over the past century has been fixed at +5 ° C. And in recent years, in connection with global warming, abnormal frosts up to -45 ° C and abnormal heat up to +45 ° C have occurred in Kazan.
Comparison with the climate of Moscow
If we compare the weather and climate of Kazan with Moscow, then the differences still exist. In Kazan, the absolute average annual maximum is almost one degree higher, and the absolute minimum lower by as much as five. Kazan is still colder, as the average annual temperature is 4.6 ° C compared to 5.8 ° C in the capital. But in Kazan, on average, 200 mm less rain falls annually than in Moscow.
Precipitation
By the amount of precipitation, Kazan is considered a zone of moderate moisture. In summer, it rains, which make up 70% of the total annual precipitation, and in winter, snow and hail, and somewhere around 10% of all precipitation falls in mixed form. The least precipitation is in spring, and more specifically in March, but the thickness of snow cover by this time reaches its maximum value.
Most precipitation falls in the summer, mainly in July. This month is also leading in terms of the highest temperature of the year, on average over the past hundred years it is as much as 20 degrees. The coldest, as in all of Russia, is January. But over the past 10 years, the absolute maximum in January increased from −46.8 ° C to −32.7 ° C.
Climate features in Kazan
As in the whole of central Russia, in Kazan there are two radically different periods, and not four as indicated in the calendar. Namely, cold - from November to March and warm - from April to October. Spring and autumn in Kazan are faster and less pronounced. Almost the entire cold season in Kazan is covered by snow, despite the fact that it affects the “calendar” autumn and spring. And such months as April, May and September are often so warm that you can swim in local reservoirs.
Seismic activity
In addition to the fact that tectonic faults exist on the territory of Tatarstan, it is also a large oil-producing region. After pumping oil from the fields, voids remain in the thickness of the earth that fill with water. These voids are theoretically capable of causing earthquakes.
In 2000, because of this, they even abandoned the idea of building a nuclear power plant in Tatarstan. But in fact in Tatarstan strong earthquakes are rare. The last one near Kazan was registered in 1909, its strength was 7 points (out of 12 possible). Since then, there have been only weak shocks with a strength of 2–4 points, the last of which occurred in 2010. In general, there is a tendency for a decrease in the frequency of seismic activity in the region.
But in Kazan, the following meteorological phenomena often occur:
- squally wind up to 22 m / s;
- blizzards;
- heavy rains;
- abnormal heat up to +45 ° C;
- severe frost up to -45 ° C;
- large city.
At a time when there is a possibility of squally winds and hurricanes, the Ministry of Emergencies sends out warnings to all residents who have mobile phones. Since at this time it is better not to go on long trips on the highway or is in open space. The squally winds in Kazan have done quite serious damage more than once. For example, billboards and roofs from houses were torn down, cars were crushed by trees, windows in houses were smashed and trees were torn out. The direction of the wind in Kazan is mainly southern, western and southeastern.