Specific changes in main climatic characteristics of the Debed river basin (Armenia)

Abstract

Formulation of the problem. The article discusses changes in the main climatic characteristics in the Debed river basin (Armenia) at six meteorological stations. The aim of the work is to analyze and assess peculiar territorial distribution of the main climatic indicators in the Debed river basin, their changes over the past 80-90 years in different conditions of Armenia. Methods. To solve the set tasks, the authors used corresponding research and published works as a theoretical basis in the work. As a starting material, the work used the daily factual data of the "Center for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring" of the SNCO, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia for the period from 1930 to 2018 at six meteorological stations. The authors applied the following research methods in the article: mathematical and statistical, extrapolation, analysis, analogy, correlation, cartographic. Results. Climate of the earth has been changing rapidly over the past decades, leading to global warming. As a result, we are facing the problem of assessing the macroeconomic consequences of climate change in this territory. Armenia did not remain aloof from the problems of global climate change. On the territory of the river Debed's basin air temperature distribution and precipitation is uneven, due to the geographical latitude of the area, general and local circulation of the atmosphere, radiation energy and orographic features. We notice a decrease in air temperature and an increase in precipitation with the height of the terrain and the vertical gradient, respectively, is 0.54 ºC / 100 m and -20 mm / 100 m. The average annual air temperature ranges from 3.74 ºC to 12.3 ºC, and the annual precipitation is from 462 mm to 770 mm. Studies have also shown that long-term fluctuations in average air temperature over the year are generally characterized by positive trends. Air temperature in the basin of the river Debed increased by 1.65 °С on average over the year from 1964 to 2018. A particularly significant increase in annual temperatures has been observed after the 1990s, when the rate of annual warming reached +0.389 ºС / 10 years (for the period 1993-2018). The warmest years were 1966, 2010 and 2018. The tendency towards a decrease in the annual amount of precipitation prevails in the area. The most significant amount of precipitation decreased in the basin of the river Debed after 2002. The rate of changes in the annual amount of atmospheric precipitation for the period 2002–2018 reached -61.7 mm / 10 years, and for the entire period 1964-2018 - 1.02 mm / 10 years. On average a decrease in annual precipitation was 126 mm from 1964 to 2001, 105 mm - from 2002 to 2018 in the basin of the river Debed. There is a tendency for a slight increase in the amount of precipitation at the Stepanavan weather station.