05.01.2022
Climate characteristic of December 2021
The average air temperature in Belarus for the first winter month was -3.5°C, which is 0.2°C below the climatic norm. December of 2021 was characterized by the fact that the average air temperature for a month was below normal for the first time in 9 years. Before that, consecutive 8 years from 2013 to 2020 there were positive deviations of the mean monthly air temperature.
Deviation of the average air temperature in December from climatic norm for the period 1981-2021
The above zero air temperature anomaly was recorded in the east and southeast of Belarus. In the rest of the country, the air temperature for the month was equal or lower than normal. The largest negative anomalies were noted in the extreme north of the country (-1.5°C and more).
Deviation (°С) of the average air temperature in December from the climatic norm
on the territory of Belarus
In the regional context, the below zero air temperature anomaly was noted in most of the country, with the exception of the Mogilev and Gomel regions, where the deviations were positive (0.1 and 0.3°C, respectively). The largest below zero air temperature anomaly for the month was noted in the Vitebsk region (on average in the region -0.9°C).
The air temperature during three decades of the month was non-uniform: the average air temperature in the first and third decades was below the norm by -0.9 and -3.6°C, respectively. The average temperature of the second decade was 4.1°C higher than the norm.
Average air temperature and climatic norm through the decades of December 2021
across the territory of Belarus
During the month the air temperature during the day varied within significant limits: from -10°C and below on the coldest days to + 5°C and above on the warmest. The maximum air temperature for the month was noted at Vysokoe station on December 31 and amounted to + 9.5°С.
The air temperature at night during the month was generally in the range from -15 to -1°С, and in the warmest nights it rose to positive values. The minimum temperature value (-23.5°С) was noted at Yezerishche station on December 8.
During the month, on average, 41.8 mm of precipitation fell in the republic, which amounted to 93% of the climatic norm. Over the territory of the country, precipitation fell unevenly: in the extreme north-west and north-east, in the central and southern regions of the country, about a monthly norm of precipitation and more fell. For the rest of the territory - less than the norm of precipitation.
Deviation (%) of monthly precipitation for December from the climatic norm
on the territory of Belarus
In the regions, the largest amount of precipitation was noted on the territory of the Gomel region - an average of 48.7 mm or 116% of the norm. Least of all - on the territory of the Brest region 38.3 mm or 87% of the norm.
The amount of precipitation in December 2021 and the climatic norm
by regions and across the territory of Belarus
During the month precipitation fell unevenly. In the first and third decades, there was a shortage of precipitation (68 and 51% of the norm, respectively), in the second decade excessive moisture was noted (160% of the norm dropped out).
Rainfall and climatic norm through the decades of December 2021 across the territory of Belarus
Precipitation fell in the form of rain, snow and sleet. During the month the snow cover was repeatedly established for a short time and destroyed. On the last day of the month the height of the snow cover ranged from 0.1 cm (Pruzhany) to 15 cm (Ezerishche), at Vysokoe, Brest, Lelchitsy stations, there was no snow cover.
In some places, an increase in wind speed by gusts of up to 15 m/s and more was noted. The maximum wind speed of 18 m/s was recorded at stations Novogrudok on December 2 and Drogichin on December 19. Fogs, sleet and ice cover were observed in some areas.
