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The territory of the Republic of
Macedonia is characteristic of three different climates:
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Changed Mediterranean
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Mountainous
-
Mildly Continental
The changed Mediterranean climate
is represented in the Gevgelija-Valandovo ravine, the Dojran and the
Strumica-Radovis ravines. It can also go as north as Skopje following the flow
of the Vardar river.
This climate is characterized with
long and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. The spring and the fall are not
very noticeable. The fall is longer and warmer and the spring is shorter and
colder. The average temperature in the hottest month - July, is about 25 degrees
Celsius. Demir Kapija is the hottest town in the country with a summer
temperature that can get up to 40 degrees Celsius. The average temperature in
the coldest month - January, is relatively high with about 3 degrees Celsius.
The average yearly rainfall in the
areas with changed Mediterranean climate is fairly low. The average yearly
rainfall by the Vardar river is less than 500 mm., and it is one of the driest
regions in the country. In the other areas of the changed Mediterranean climate
the average rainfall is 600-750 mm. Snowfall is very rare for these areas.
The mountainous climate, as its
name suggests, is found in the high mountainous regions of the country. It is
characterized with long and snowy winters and short and cold summers. The spring
is colder than the fall.
The temperature in the mountainous
climate decreases with the increase of the elevation. That is why the lowest
temperatures are found in the highest parts of the mountains. The Šar Mountain,
for example, has negative average temperatures in four months of the year, and
it is also similar with the other high mountains.
The coldest months are January and
February, and the warmest July and August. However, even in the warm months
there can be big weather changes and even snowfalls.
As for the precipitation, the
regions from the mountainous climate have the highest yearly precipitation in
the country with as much rain and snowfall as 1,000 mm. The precipitation
decreases as you go east and in the Eastern part of the country it is 600-700
mm. The average period that the snow stays on the mountains is from November to
April, but in the higher mountains the snow can stay until the end of May.
The mildly continental climate is
the most characteristic for Republic of Macedonia, since it covers the biggest
area of the country. It is characterized with relatively cold and humid winters
and warm and dry summers. The spring is colder than the fall.
There are differences in the
average temperatures in the regions of the mildly continental climate. This is
because of the differences in the regions' geographic latitude, elevation, etc.
The average July temperature is highest in the Ovčepole, Kočani, and Skopje
ravines. The average January temperature is lowest in the Maleševo ravine.
The yearly precipitation also
differs, ranging from 490 mm., in the Ovčepole ravine, to 760 mm., in the Prespa
ravine. Apart from rain and snow, there is also hail-fall in these regions. |
