04.01.2024
Climate characteristics of December 2023
The average air temperature in Belarus for the first winter month was -0.7°C, which is 1.8°C above the climatic norm. December 2023 ranked 15th in a ranked series of observations from the warmest to the coldest since 1945.
Deviation of the average December air temperature for the period 1991-2023
from the climatic norm (-2.5 °C)
The positive air temperature anomaly spread throughout the country and was mainly in the range from 1.0 to 2.0 °C.
In the regional context, the highest values of positive deviations of air temperature from the climatic norm were noted in the Gomel region (the average for the region is +2.2°C), in the Vitebsk region the deviations were the lowest (+1.3 °C).
Deviation (°C) of the average air temperature in December 2023
from the climatic norm on the territory of Belarus
The first decade of the month was cold with a negative anomaly of -3.5°C. The second and third decades were very warm with a positive anomaly of +3.7 and +5.1°C, respectively.
Average air temperature and climatic norm according to the decades of December 2023 on the territory of Belarus
The daytime air temperature during the month was mainly -6 +7°C. The maximum value (+9.5°C) air temperature reached in the afternoon of December 25 at the Pinsk station.
The air temperature at night was mainly in the range of -10 -2°C, on some days, mainly in the second half of the month, rising to positive values. The minimum air temperature was recorded at the Lyntupy station on December 6 and amounted to -16.6 °C.
Deviation (%) of the monthly precipitation amount for December 2023
from the climatic norm on the territory of Belarus
During the month an average of 75 mm of precipitation fell in the republic, which amounted to 171% of the climatic norm. December 2023 took the 3rd place in the ranked series of observations from the wettest to the driest, starting in 1945. In most parts of the country 150-200% of the climatic norm of precipitation fell. The historical monthly maximum precipitation was updated at Vitebsk station, and the historical daily precipitation maxima were updated at Gantsevichi and Zhitkovichi stations.
By region, the most precipitation was recorded in the Mogilev region – on average 90 mm or 219% of the norm. The smallest is on the territory of the Minsk region – 66 mm or 152% of the norm.
The amount of precipitation in December 2023 and the climatic norm
for the regions and the territory of Belarus
During all three decades of the month, excessive hydration was noted. The greatest amount of precipitation was observed in the third decade – 31 mm or 189% of the climatic norm fell.
The amount of precipitation and the climatic norm
for the decades of December 2023 on the territory of Belarus
Precipitation fell in the form of snow, sleet and rain. The snow cover, which was established at the end of November, reached its maximum values by the end of the first to the middle of the second decade of December, and was mainly in the range from 10 to 55 cm. By the end of the month, as a result of the predominance of positive air temperatures and frequent precipitation of liquid precipitation, the snow cover collapsed in most of the country, with the exception of the far east, where its height on the last day of the month ranged from 0.1 cm (Kostyukovichi) to 14 cm (Mstislavl).
During the month fogs were observed throughout the country at night and in the morning, and icy phenomena were observed in places. On December 22, a snowstorm was observed in Brest. In some areas there was an increase in wind speed with gusts of up to 15 m/s or more. The maximum wind speed was recorded at the Drogichin station on December 25 and amounted to 22 m/s.
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