What are the climatic conditions on the plains? What climatic conditions would be established in the middle zone of the Russian plain if along the coasts of the northern seas

The East European Plain is one of the largest on the planet. Its area exceeds 4 million km2. It is located on the Eurasian continent (in the eastern part of Europe). On the northwestern side, its borders run along the Scandinavian mountain formations, in the southeast - along the Caucasus, in the southwest - along the Central European massifs (Sudetes, etc.) There are more than 10 states on its territory, most of which is occupied by the Russian Federation . It is for this reason that this plain is also called Russian.

East European Plain: climate formation

In any geographical area, the climate is formed due to several factors. First of all, this is the geographical location, terrain and neighboring regions with which a certain territory borders.

So, what exactly influences the climate of a given plain? To begin with, it is worth highlighting the oceanic waters: the Arctic and the Atlantic. Thanks to their air masses, certain temperatures are established and the amount of precipitation is formed. The latter are distributed unevenly, but this is easily explained by the large territory of such an object as the East European Plain.

Mountains have as much influence as oceans. it is not the same along its entire length: in the southern zone it is much greater than in the northern one. It varies throughout the year, depending on the changing seasons (in summer more than in winter due to the snowy mountain peaks). The highest radiation levels are reached in July.

Considering that the plain is located in high and temperate latitudes, its territory is mainly dominated by it. It predominates mainly in the eastern part.

Atlantic masses

Atlantic air masses dominate over the East European Plain throughout the year. In the winter season they bring precipitation and warm weather, and in the summer the air is filled with coolness. Atlantic winds, moving from west to east, change somewhat. Being above the earth's surface, they become warmer in summer with a small amount of moisture, and cold in winter with little precipitation. It is during the cold period that the East European Plain, whose climate directly depends on the oceans, is under the influence of Atlantic cyclones. During this season, their number can reach 12. Moving eastward, they can change dramatically, and this, in turn, brings warming or cooling.

And when Atlantic cyclones arrive from the southwest, the southern part of the Russian Plain is influenced by subtropical air masses, as a result of which a thaw occurs and in winter the temperature can rise to +5...7 °C.

Arctic air masses

When the East European Plain is under the influence of North Atlantic and Southwestern Arctic cyclones, the climate here changes significantly, even in the southern part. A sharp cold snap is setting in on its territory. Arctic air most often moves in the direction from north to west. Thanks to anticyclones, which lead to colder temperatures, the snow remains for a long time, the weather becomes partly cloudy with low temperatures. As a rule, they are common in the southeastern part of the plain.

winter season

Considering how the East European Plain is located, the climate during the winter season differs in different areas. In this regard, the following temperature statistics are observed:

• Northern regions - winter is not very cold; in January thermometers show an average of -4 °C.
• In the western zones of the Russian Federation, weather conditions are somewhat more severe. The average temperature in January reaches -10 °C.
• The northeastern parts are coldest. Here on thermometers you can see -20 °C or more.
• In the southern zones of Russia, there is a temperature deviation in the southeast direction. The average is -5 °C.

Summer season temperature

In the summer season, the East European Plain is exposed to solar radiation. The climate at this time depends directly on this factor. Here, oceanic air masses are no longer so important, and the temperature is distributed in accordance with geographic latitude.

So let's look at the changes by region:

Precipitation

As mentioned above, most of the East European Plain has a temperate continental climate. And it is characterized by a certain amount of precipitation, amounting to 600-800 mm/g. Their loss depends on several factors. For example, the movement of air masses from the western parts, the presence of cyclones, the location of the polar and Arctic front. The highest humidity is observed between the Valdai and Smolensk-Moscow uplands. During the year, precipitation falls in the west about 800 mm, and in the east a little less - no more than 700 mm.

In addition, the topography of this territory has a great influence. On the hills located in the western parts, precipitation falls 200 millimeters more than on the lowlands. The rainy season in the southern zones occurs in the first month of summer (June), and in the middle zone, as a rule, it is July.

In winter, snow falls in this region and a stable cover forms. The altitude level may vary depending on the natural areas of the East European Plain. For example, in the tundra the snow thickness reaches 600-700 mm. Here he lies for about seven months. And in the forest zone and forest-steppe the snow cover reaches a height of up to 500 mm and, as a rule, covers the ground for no more than two months.

Most moisture occurs in the northern zone of the plain, and evaporation is less. In the middle zone these indicators are compared. As for the southern part, here moisture is much less than evaporation, for this reason drought is often observed in this area.

types and brief description

The natural zones of the East European Plain are quite different. This can be explained extremely simply - by the large size of this area. There are 7 zones on its territory. Let's look at them.

East European Plain and West Siberian Plain: comparison

The Russian and West Siberian plains have a number of common features. For example, their geographical location. They are both located on the Eurasian continent. They are influenced by the Arctic Ocean. The territory of both plains has such natural zones as forest, steppe and forest-steppe. There are no deserts or semi-deserts in the West Siberian Plain. The prevailing Arctic air masses have almost the same impact on both geographical areas. They are also bordered by mountains, which directly influence the formation of the climate.

The East European Plain and the West Siberian Plain also have differences. These include the fact that although they are on the same continent, they are located in different parts: the first is in Europe, the second is in Asia. They also differ in relief - West Siberian is considered one of the lowest, so some of its areas are swampy. If we take the territory of these plains as a whole, then the flora in the latter is somewhat poorer than that of the East European one.

Detailed solution to final assignment 6 in geography for 5th grade students, authors V. P. Dronov, L. E. Savelyeva 2015

• Gdz workbook on Geography for grade 6 can be found

1. What is the biosphere? What are its components?

The biosphere is the outer shell of the Earth, inhabited by living organisms and transformed by them. The biosphere includes plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and protozoa.

2. How does the biological cycle occur in nature? What is its significance for our planet?

Life on Earth is supported by solar energy. Plants create primary organic matter through photosynthesis under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, plants are producing organisms. Animals feed on plants or other animals, i.e., ready-made organic substances; These are consumer organisms. Fungi and bacteria decompose the remains of dead organisms. They convert organic substances into inorganic ones, which are again consumed by plants. Thus, bacteria and fungi are destructive organisms. When organic matter decomposes, heat is released, i.e. energy that was once absorbed from the Sun by plants. If destroyer organisms disappeared, the biosphere would be poisoned, since many decay products of organic substances are poisonous. This is how the biological cycle occurs in nature. The biological cycle connects all parts of nature together.

3. Why are all the outer shells of the Earth under the influence of living organisms?

The role of living organisms is great. They, as part of nature, with their activities influence all the shells of the Earth. This is possible because all living and non-living components of the environment are closely related. The biosphere partially covers all the layers of the Earth.

4. What changes would occur on Earth if plants disappeared on it?

If plants disappeared, herbivores would immediately die. After all other living organisms connected by a food chain. The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere would decrease and the amount of carbon dioxide would increase. The water cycle would be disrupted. Life on earth without plants is impossible.

5. How is living matter distributed on our planet? What determines the saturation of the biosphere with life?

Life is distributed very unevenly in the biosphere. The bulk of living organisms are concentrated at the boundaries of contact between air, water and rocks. Therefore, the surface of the land and the upper layers of the waters of the seas and oceans are more densely populated. This is due to the fact that the conditions here are the most favorable: a lot of oxygen, moisture, light, and nutrients. The thickness of the layer most saturated with organisms is only a few tens of meters. The further up and down from it, the rarer and more monotonous life is. The greatest concentration of life is observed in the soil - a special natural body of the biosphere.

6. The depths of the World Ocean differ greatly in the diversity and richness of living organisms. What are the main reasons for their uneven distribution?

The saturation of the living layers of the World Ocean depends on water temperature, illumination, and oxygen saturation. Therefore, the number of living organisms in the ocean changes in the direction from the equator to the poles, in accordance with the course of temperatures. Also, the abundance of life in the ocean changes with depth and in the direction from the coast to the open ocean.

7. What factors determine the distribution of living organisms on land?

The distribution of living organisms on land depends on climate - temperatures and moisture.

8. How do marine organisms adapt to different living conditions?

Small organisms - plankton - have adapted to float in water. They live in suspension and move with the flow of water. Fish and marine animals actively move in the water column. Typically, fish and marine animals have a streamlined body shape that reduces water resistance. Bottom animals have adapted to live in conditions of high water pressure. Their body is flattened. Plants in the seas change their color depending on the depth to enhance photosynthesis. There is no vegetation deeper than 1000 m.

9. Compare moist equatorial forests and temperate forests according to the following characteristics: geographical location, climate features, flora and fauna, importance for the nature of the Earth.

Equatorial forests are located in equatorial latitudes (the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, the Amazon Lowland, the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia). Temperate forests are common in the temperate zone. Mixed and deciduous forests occupy the Atlantic coast of North America, Europe, and the eastern coast of Eurasia. Coniferous forests extend in wide stripes between 50-650 N latitudes.

The climate of equatorial forests is characterized by constant high temperatures (about 250C) and excessive moisture throughout the year. Temperate forests are found in the temperate climate zone. This climate is characterized by a pronounced change of seasons. The warm season of the year with positive temperatures and precipitation in the form of rain and the cold season with negative temperatures and the formation of stable snow cover alternate.

Equatorial forests have the richest flora and fauna of any natural zone. In the equatorial forests there are a lot of valuable tree species: ebony (black) tree, mahogany, rubber plant Hevea. Equatorial forests are the homeland of many cultivated plants: oil palm, cocoa. In the equatorial forest it is easier to find ten trunks of different types of trees than ten trunks of the same species. The fauna is also very rich. There are especially many insects, snakes, and birds here. Temperate forests include coniferous forests called taiga, mixed forests and deciduous forests. They do not have such a variety of plants and animals, since the living conditions here are less favorable.

Of course, equatorial forests are of great value for the nature of the Earth. This is due to the richness and uniqueness of this natural complex. However, the importance of temperate forests is great. Coniferous forests are the main supplier of oxygen to the atmosphere.

10. What forests are common in Russia? Why should they be treated with care?

Mixed, broad-leaved and coniferous forests (taiga) are common in Russia. The ecological state of the environment largely depends on forests. Forests influence the filling of rivers with water and the retention of snow on fields. Destruction of forests leads to the development of erosion. Forests are the habitat of numerous animals and plants.

12. Which forests have the richest flora and fauna? What is this connected with?

The richest flora and fauna are in the equatorial forests. The huge species diversity is associated with favorable climatic conditions.

13. Under what climatic conditions do savannas and steppes occur on the plains, and in what conditions do deserts occur?

In the interior of the continents there are grassy plains. There is not enough moisture here for forests to grow, but enough for grasses. Semi-deserts and deserts are common in all climate zones in areas with very dry climates.

14. Why is soil considered a connecting link between living and inanimate nature?

The soil consists of both organic and inorganic parts. Living organisms and components of inanimate nature (parent rock, water, air) participate in its formation.

15. Select from books, magazines, newspapers, and television programs examples of the impact of human activity on soils, flora and fauna, and the biosphere as a whole.

Deforestation in the Amazon will reduce crop yields

The expansion of agricultural land due to the reduction of tropical forests will lead to climate changes in the region and negatively affect soybean and feed crop yields. Brazilian researchers predict a situation that could arise by 2050, when doubling the area under crops will lead to a 30% reduction in harvest.

In the Amazonian jungle, 2+2 is not necessarily 4. The expansion of agricultural land and pastures will lead to a decrease in agricultural and livestock production. This apparent paradox is caused by climate changes resulting from deforestation. The study shows that in addition to reducing the Amazon's ability to absorb carbon dioxide, under all possible scenarios, land where forests are cut down will produce less soybeans and feed crops. Only reforestation can increase harvests, which is unlikely. Amazonia Legal is a territorial administrative unit created by the Brazilian government. It includes nine states of the country, wholly or partially located in the Amazonian jungle. This is about 5 million square kilometers, or almost 60% of Brazil's territory. Such dimensions are aimed at solving three important problems: regulating the global climate, absorbing carbon dioxide and - already at the regional level - land and its use are fundamental to the future of Brazil. That is, the progressive development of Brazil largely depends on the state of the forest.

To understand what the future holds, researchers from several universities in Brazil and the United States constructed a model of the interaction between climate and land use. Using 2050 as a starting point, they proposed the following three scenarios: deforestation stops; continues under Brazil's new environmental laws; or, as the agro-industrial complex suggests, the selva must disappear for the sake of the prosperity of agricultural and livestock Brazil. For each scenario, they developed productivity models for both primary forest, grassland, and soybean crops, assuming it would remain the nation's top crop for the next 40 years. It would seem that everything is logical: the more hectares occupied by pastures or crops, the higher the volume of agricultural and livestock production. But human logic and climate logic obey different laws.

Traveling the Amazon

“We were hoping to see some kind of compensation, however, to our surprise, the increase in deforestation areas could lead to a deadlock situation when the inability to solve environmental problems caused by the destruction of forests will not be compensated by the growth of agricultural production,” says Professor Leidimere Oliveira, who works at the Federal University of La Pampa. On the contrary, under almost all scenarios, both carbon dioxide absorption and labor productivity will decline by mid-century, no matter what efforts are made.

16. Using additional literature, find out the reasons why the number of elephants in Africa is declining. Prepare a message on the topic “Conservation of African elephants.”

African elephant conservation

The African elephant population has reached a critical point - more elephants die on the continent than are born every year.

A group of researchers published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States) according to which about 35 thousand elephants have died at the hands of poachers in Africa since 2010. Scientists warn that if this trend does not change, elephants will disappear as a species within 100 years.

The ivory trade has increased dramatically in recent years, with a kilogram of elephant tusks now fetching thousands of dollars on the black market. Demand for them is growing mainly due to Asian countries. Biologists have long pointed to the threat of extinction of elephants as a species, but this study provides a detailed assessment of the environmental and biological catastrophe occurring in Africa.

Scientists concluded that between 2010 and 2013, Africa lost an average of 7% of its elephant population every year. The natural increase in the elephant population is about 5%, which means that there are fewer elephants every year. Over the past 10 years, the number of elephants in central Africa has decreased by 60%. Poachers tend to kill the oldest and largest elephants. This means that first of all, large males at the peak of their reproductive ability die, as well as females who are at the head of the family and have cubs. After them, only immature young elephants remain in the population, which leads to disturbances in the hierarchy of the population and harms its growth, the professor says

To protect African elephants, protected areas and reserves are being created, and poaching is being fought. In 1989, the African elephant was protected by a blanket ban on the sale of ivory included in the International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. However, some countries, and in particular Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa, refused to introduce this ban. The governments of these countries justified their actions by saying that elephant populations on their territory are successfully regulated, have a good sex and age structure, and in some places even show a tendency to increase, requiring controlled shooting to maintain natural balance. These sustainable herds not only attract tourists, but also generate income through trade in ivory, meat and hides, which goes towards various socio-economic development projects, while also providing jobs for people. In addition, the local population is actively involved in animal protection and helps fight poaching. Public opinion should lead to a drop in demand for goods that kill rare animals, and this will help save them from extinction. The dispute continues. As long as the ivory comes from sustainable populations, it is difficult to demand a ban on its marketing.

Natural conditions are a set of environmental properties that significantly influence human life.
Compared to most foreign ones, it is in difficult natural conditions. V. O. Klyuchevsky wrote: “Once some enemy ousted the Slavs, namely our ancestors, from, driving them to the virgin northeast, from the best country to the worst. Thus, stepmother history forced them to inhabit a country where nature is a stepmother for man.”

The strongest influence on human life and economic activity is exerted by relief and climate. In relation to Russia, they are characterized by the concepts of “flatness” and “coldness”.

Relief is a set of irregularities on land, the bottom of oceans and seas, varied in outline, size, origin, age and history of development. It is formed as a result of the influence of endogenous (internal) and exogenous processes on the earth's surface.

“Russia is a huge plain along which a dashing man rushes,” wrote A.P. Chekhov. Flatness is a defining feature of our country's topography. Two features distinguish it from Asia: the variety of surface shapes and the extremely sinuous outline of the sea coasts. Russia (European) does not have these advantageous natural features of Europe; in this regard, it is closer to Asia. Uniformity is a distinctive feature of its relief; one form dominates almost everywhere - the plain. It is like an Asian wedge in the European continent, closely connected historically and climatically.

Plains are areas of land, the bottom of oceans and seas, characterized by slight fluctuations in elevation. Russia - the East European lowland, the Central Siberian Plateau - occupy 3/4 of its territory.

Open to the ocean in the north, the plains of Russia are bordered by a chain of mountains in the east and south.

The Caucasus is a fragment of the Alyti mountain belt. In Russia there are the northern ridges and slopes of the Greater Caucasus. In several parallel ridges, like steps, the mountains rise from north to south. These are the Black Mountains and the Rocky Ridge. In the east are the Tersky and Sunzhensky ranges. To the south lie the plains, and then the peaks of the Main Caucasian and Side ranges. The highest peak of the Caucasus and Russia, Elbrus (5642 m), is located on the Side Range.

“Stone Belt” is what the mountains that stretched for more than 2 thousand km used to be called. The width of the “belt” is 40-60 km and only in places more than 100 km. The western slope is gentler and more gradually passes into the Russian Plain. The eastern one descends steeply towards the West Siberian Lowland.

The main mountainous regions of Russia are located in Siberia, especially in its southern part, where several mountainous countries are located - (up to 4506 m), (2178 m) and (3491 m), as well as in southern Tuva. In the center of Southern Siberia is the Baikal region - a mountain frame. To the east is another mountainous country, most of which is occupied by the Vitim Plateau (up to 1753 m).

Near the Pacific Ocean, ridges run along the coast. On the western shore rises the Dzhugdzhur ridge (1906 m). To the south, the mountain belt expands and branches into several ridges, forming the Yam-Alin-Bureya (2384 m) and Lower Amur (1567 m) mountainous countries. Sikhote-Alin (2077 m) is located along the seashore. Most of the mountain belt is hidden under the ocean waters or protrudes above them in the form of islands (and the Kuril ridge). The continuation of the belt is the peninsula (Sredinny and Eastern ranges, volcanic massif with Klyuchevskaya Sopka - 4750 m).

The vast mountainous country is located in the northeast of the mainland. The Verkhoyansk ridge (2389 m) is bent in a huge arc towards the plains of Yakutia. The Chersky Ridge (3147 m) crosses almost the entire region from northwest to southeast. The main watershed here is the Suntar-Khayata ridge (2959 m).

The northeast is a cluster of highlands and plateaus. Only the Koryak Highland (2652 m) exceeds the 2000-meter line. The Yano-Oymyakon (3802 m), Kolyma (1962 m) and (1843 m) highlands no longer reach it. The lowest plateaus are Anadyr (1116 m), Yukagir (1185 m) and Alazey (954 m).
Climate is the long-term weather pattern characteristic of a given area. The concept of “coldness” indicates that the natural conditions of Russia are characterized by harsh and long frosty winters. Residents of Western Europe probably have a hard time imagining how it is possible to live in conditions where there is snow for 4-5 (and in some places 9-10) months a year.

Heat deficiency in Russia is the main limiting factor, a natural “limiter” on the life and activities of the country’s population. Even in relatively warm areas, “warmth” is a rather relative concept. In Moscow, frosts are possible 9 months a year, snow lies for 120-130 days, and frosts sometimes reach 40 °C. And only in a very small area of ​​the North Caucasus can the climate be considered favorable from the point of view of “world standards”. The discomfort for a person is especially great during the cold season, when the combination of low temperatures and strong winds sharply limits the possibility of staying outdoors.
The warm period of the year is very short in Russia. Even according to the minimum criterion of summer duration (the number of days with an average daily temperature above 10 °C), in most parts of the country this period lasts less than 3 months.

Usually there are three main ones: air circulation and relief.

The amount of incoming solar radiation depends on the geographic latitude of the place. The territory of Russia, located in the middle and high latitudes, is illuminated “casually” by the sun’s rays.

The Far East is influenced by the Pacific Ocean (monsoon climate). Ocean winds soften the frosts here and cause heavy snowfalls. But the proximity of the ocean also leads to increased adverse effects on the eastern coast of Russia (prolonged rains, landslides, stormy winds, etc.).

The annual amplitude of air temperature (that is, the difference between the temperatures of the warmest and coldest months of the year) increases from west to east. In the west it is 2526 °C, in Western Siberia 40-45, in 45-55, in the Verkhoyansk area 60-65 °C.

The longest frost-free period (that is, the period without frost) is observed in the Caucasus - up to 270 days. As you move north, it decreases and reaches a minimum in Taimyr (45 days).

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General characteristics of the climate of the East European Plain

The most important characteristic of any territory is its climate.

Definition 1

Climate- long-term weather regime characteristic of a particular area.

The long-term weather regime is:

1. The totality of all weather conditions over several decades;
2. Annual change in conditions and possible deviations in some years;
3. Weather combinations such as droughts, rainy periods, cold snaps, etc.

The position of the East European Plain in temperate and high latitudes, proximity to the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, as well as the connection of the territory with Western Europe and Northern Asia, have a great influence on its climate.

Seasonal differences in arrival solar radiation in these latitudes they are especially large, so its distribution throughout the territory by season changes sharply. More than $60$% of the solar radiation received in winter is reflected by the snow cover. During winter, with the exception of the southern regions, the radiation balance throughout the plain is negative. In summer, the radiation balance becomes positive. Its greatest value is typical for the south of Ukraine, Crimea and the Azov region. In the direction from north to south, the amount of total solar radiation increases from $66$-$130$ kcal/cm2 per year. The Kaliningrad-Moscow-Perm latitude in winter receives about $1$ kcal per square centimeter, and the southeast of the Caspian lowland receives about $3$ kcal per square centimeter of area.

The western transport dominates over the plain throughout the year. air masses. In summer, air from the Atlantic brings precipitation and coolness, and in winter, on the contrary, precipitation and warmth. Moving from west to east, he transforms– becomes drier and warmer in summer, and colder in winter.

The invasion of cold air is associated with the arrival on the plain cyclones from the North Atlantic and southwestern Arctic. Arctic air flows freely over the entire surface. Cyclone activity, starting in April and throughout the warm period, shifts to the north, flowing along the lines of the Arctic and polar fronts. The weather brought by cyclones becomes most typical for the north-west of the East European Plain. The sea air of temperate latitudes, coming to these areas from the Atlantic, not only lowers the air temperature, but is also heated by the underlying surface, additionally becoming saturated with moisture. Cyclones are capable of transporting cold Arctic air to southern latitudes, causing cold temperatures there, sometimes with frosts. Moist, warm tropical air invades the plains with southwesterly cyclones and can penetrate into the forest zone.

In the southeast the plains, caused by the influence Asian high, often repeated anticyclones, due to which the invasion of cold continental air masses of temperate latitudes occurs. As a result, in partly cloudy weather, there is radiation cooling, a decrease in air temperature and the formation of a small but stable snow cover.

In the northern half of the plain January isotherms have a submeridional position. In the Kaliningrad region, the January temperature is $4$ degrees, and in the northeast of the plain it is already -$20$ degrees. In the lower reaches of the Volga and Don, the January isotherm is -$5$, -$6$ degrees.

Distribution July isotherms associated with solar radiation, so July isotherms are located in accordance with geographic latitude. In the far north of the plain the average July temperature is +$8$ degrees, and in the Caspian lowland +$24$ degrees.

Precipitation The plains are distributed unevenly across the territory and depend on the circulation of air masses, the activity of cyclones, and the position of the Arctic and polar fronts. The Valdai and Smolensk-Moscow uplands receive the greatest amount of precipitation. Their annual amount reaches $700$-$800$ mm. To the east, the amount of precipitation decreases to $600$-$700$ mm. In the south of the plain, the largest amount of precipitation occurs in the month of June, and in the middle zone precipitation mainly falls in July. Winter precipitation is represented by snow, the height of which in the northeast reaches $60$-$70$ cm, and in the south only $10$-$20$ cm. The relief of the area has a great influence on the climate of the plain.

Climatic features of the natural zones of the plain

Within the East European Plain, natural zones are clearly defined:

1. Tundra and forest-tundra;
2. Forest zone;
3. Forest-steppe and steppe;
4. Semi-desert and desert.

Tundra and forest-tundra They lie in a subarctic climate zone, where it is humid and moderately cold. The tundra and forest-tundra of the European coast of Russia are warmer compared to the Asian tundra. The reason is the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current entering the Barents Sea. Winter temperatures vary from west to east coasts from -$10$ to -$20$ degrees. The amount of precipitation also decreases from west to east – from $600$ mm to $500$ mm.

Forest natural area within the East European Plain it is moderately warm and excessively humid to moderately humid. In the European taiga there will be more precipitation compared to the taiga of Western Siberia. Elevated surfaces receive up to $800$ mm, and flat areas up to $600$ mm. Precipitation falls by $200$ mm more than evaporates, so the natural area has excess moisture. The climate of the forest zone changes from north to south - humidification remains, and the sum of active temperatures increases from $1200$ degrees in the north to $2400$ degrees in the south. In the belt of broad-leaved forests, the sum of active temperatures increases to $2800$ degrees, and the humidification coefficient approaches unity.

Forest-steppe and steppe zone. Forest-steppes are moderately humid and moderately warm. Winter is usually cold and snowy, and summer can be not just warm, but even hot. There is little precipitation, so droughts are frequent. In the steppes there is not enough moisture and a lot of heat. July temperature is +$21$, +$23$ degrees. The sum of active temperatures is $3200$ degrees. Winter in the western and eastern parts of the steppe has differences - the western part of the steppe zone is warm, the eastern part is cooler, and even cold in winter. Moisture evaporates $200$-$400$ mm more than it falls out, so hydration is insufficient.

Semi-deserts and deserts within the East European Plain they are moderately dry and very warm. They occupy the lower reaches of the Volga and stretch to Aktyubinsk. Precipitation falls $300$-$400$ mm, and evaporation exceeds them by $400$-$700$ mm. Winters are quite cool with negative temperatures - from -$7$ degrees in the southwest to -$15$ degrees in the northeast. There is snow cover.

Note 1

The territory of the East European Plain is located in two climatic zones - subarctic and temperate. Continentality increases from west to east of the plain, which is associated with the gradual removal of the eastern part of the plain from the Atlantic and its softening influence.

Climate-related meteorological phenomena

The result of disturbances in atmospheric circulation are weather phenomena that, in their socio-economic nature, are dangerous. They form numerous varieties.

There are two groups of hazardous phenomena characterized by increased recurrence:

1. Convective – precipitation, hail, squalls, tornadoes, landslides, mudflows;
2. Barogradient phenomena - strong winds.

These and other phenomena cause water to rise in natural sources. Among these dangerous phenomena, northeast winds are catastrophic, causing great damage to the economy. Low wind speeds are known to reduce thermal sensations. Such a wind, for example, which in the south of Russia is called boron, very dangerous. Bora is a northern, cold, strong and gusty wind. In the case when a hill is encountered on the path of cold air, bora occurs. Overcoming this elevation, cold air rushes down the leeward slope at high speed, hitting the coast with a squall. At the tops of the mountains, before the birth of the bora, thick clouds form, and the wind itself is unstable, changing direction and strength. Having gained strength and determined a stable direction, it moves at a speed of $40$-$60$ m/s. Winds of this type on the East European Plain are especially strong in the Novorossiysk and Gelendzhik bays, on the island of Novaya Zemlya. The wind can ice and sink ships.

At one time, from geography lessons, I clearly learned that the surrounding climate significantly influences human life. I remember we even simulated the situation of what would happen if in the south of the country there was a forest zone instead of steppes. As a result, we came to the conclusion that soil fertility would improve, because the weathering coefficient would decrease.

Russian Plain and northern hypothetical mountains

The Russian Plain is “in the world”, and among scientists the name East European Plain is accepted. Its current climate is influenced by the following geographical factors:

1. Smoothed relief.
2. Considerable length.
3. Neighborhood to the Arctic Ocean.
4. Exposure to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

The first factor promotes the unhindered spread of air masses. The second means the heterogeneity of climate throughout the territory. The influence of the Atlantic and Arctic is that cyclones constantly invade from there, bringing with them cold air masses. During the cold season, from 8 to 12 cyclones come from these areas. What will happen if suddenly mountains grow in the north of the plain?

Firstly, the mountains will delay cyclones and the temperature may rise by 10 degrees C. Secondly, the climate itself will become drier. Thirdly, it is quite possible that the sea level will rise, because... the precipitation brought by the cyclone will fall over the water, and not over the plain.

Precipitation on the Russian Plain

Currently, in the west of the plain, precipitation amounts to 150–200 mm. more than in the east, where there are some hills. In the south, the frequency of rainy periods is twice as high and most of them occur in mid-summer. In addition, the south is subject to frequent droughts, which occur every three years. Precipitation data is subject to wild fluctuations. So, according to observations over the past 38 years, the minimum average annual level was 144 mm, and the maximum - 556 mm.

The size and duration of snow cover also vary: in the north from 60-70 cm and duration of occurrence is approximately 220 days, and in the south - 10-20 cm and duration of 60 days.