We often hear that the global temperature has risen by 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to 150 years ago, we read about a target of 1.5 degrees Celsius and about places where the average temperature has risen by 4 degrees Celsius. When we say 2-3 degrees, it seems very little, but in reality it means a lot, because we are talking about annual averages. What do these degrees practically mean for the weather in different places in Romania? What do summer days, frosty or snowy days mean?

Brief information

• Let’s not laugh when we hear that the average annual temperature for a particular place has increased by 3-4 degrees over several decades. And one degree means that everything has changed, and 3-4 degrees already show serious changes.

• In Bucharest, 1980 was 3.5 C colder than 2022. This means that the number of days with a high above 30 C was four times greater in 2022, and the number of days with snow cover was 20 times fewer last year than in 1980.

• In Constanta, the average temperature in 1973 was more than 4 degrees lower than in 2019. In 1973, there were three times as many frosty nights compared to 2019. In the coldest year there were only three “tropical” nights, in the warmest year there were almost 50!

• What does the average annual temperature difference of 3 degrees C mean in Brasov? In a cold year, there were only two days with a temperature above 30 C, in a warm year – 15 days. And the number of days with snow cover was significantly different: 83 versus 38.

• And two diplomas are a lot. In Drobeta-Turnu-Severin, there were more than 90 days with a temperature above 30 C in a hot year, and less than 40 such days in a very cold year.

• The number of frosty nights is very low or zero in the warmest years, while the 70s and 80s saw dozens of nights with lows below -10 C. A few degrees above the annual average also means a three- to four-fold reduction in the number of snow days . In December or January, temperatures can exceed 15°C and the snow falls quickly.

• Three or four degrees more means more and more very hot nights during the summer. In Constanta, from August 17 to September 2, 2022, there were 17 consecutive nights with a minimum temperature above 20 degrees, the warmest night was a minimum of +24.4 C.

• In Timisoara in the summer of 2018, there were 28 days in a row with a maximum above 30 C. In August 2021, there were 18 such days in Calafat. A recent record was also obtained from Calafat: 27 summer days, between 14 July and 9 August (days with a maximum above 30 C).

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This means several additional degrees in several cities in the country

We often hear about the global goal of 1.5 C, that the Arctic regions have warmed more than 4 degrees in a few decades. Climatologists say that these are extremely alarming values, but when you say 1.5, then two or three degrees do not seem enough to us.

But this is a lot, every tenth is significant, because we are talking about annual averages, and not about a gust of wind that changes the temperature for 30 seconds. What do two, three and four degrees mean? How they feel differently and especially what they mean in summer, heat, winter and frost.

We chose the comparison between the warmest and coldest years in recent decades to highlight the large differences in all types of values. Those very low average temperatures of 1973, 1978 or 1985 will NOT return in our lifetime, but will be accompanied by new annual heat records between 2024 and 2030.

That’s why a few degrees will be needed

Bystrytsky building, 4th grade

In 1978, one of the coldest years, the average temperature was +7.1 C. In 2022, the average temperature was 10.1 C, and it was not even the warmest year on record for the Transylvanian city (it was 2018 with + 11.1 C). ).

The number of days with a temperature above +30 C in 1978: zero

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 2022: 33

Number of days when the minimum temperature was below 0 degrees in 1978: more than 140

Number of days when the minimum was below 0 degrees in 2022: 118

The number of nights with a minimum temperature not lower than 18 degrees in 1978: 0

Number of nights when the temperature did not fall below 18 degrees in 2022: 6

In Constanta – 4.2 degrees

One of the highest average annual temperatures measured in Romania was +14.3 C in Constanta in 2019. Nothing could have been more remarkable in 1973, when the average annual temperature was only 10.1 C.

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 1973: 13

The number of days with a temperature above 30 degrees in 2019: 21

Number of days with lows below 0 degrees in 1973: over 100

Number of days with a minimum below 0 degrees in 2019: 33

Number of tropical nights in 1973: 3

Number of tropical nights in 2019: 49

Number of days with snow cover in 1973: 12

Number of days with snow cover in 2019: 4

Bucharest, a huge difference of 3.5 C

1980: Average +9.8 C

2022: Average +13.4 C

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 1980: 20

Number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 degrees in 2022: 78

The number of days with a minimum below -10 degrees in 1980:

The number of days with a minimum below -10 degrees in 2022:

Number of tropical nights in 1980: 3

Number of tropical nights in 2022: 14

Number of days with snow cover in 1980: 79

Number of days with snow cover in 2022: 4

The case of Brasov, 3 degrees between 1997 and 2019

1997: +6.9C

2019: +9.9 C

Number of days with a temperature above +30 C in 1997: 2

Number of days with a maximum above 30 C in 2019: 15

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 1997: 15

Number of days when the minimum temperature was below -10 degrees in 2019: 10

Number of days with snow cover in 1997: 83

Number of days with snow cover in 2019: 38

The case of Yassa, changes made in 3 stages

1978: 8.7C

2022: 11.6C

The number of days with a maximum above +30 C in 1978: 4

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 2022: 44

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 1978: 25

The number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 2022: 1

Timisoara – How important are 3.2 degrees

1980: +9.6C

2018: +12.8C

The number of days with a temperature above +30 C in 1980: 17

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 2018: 59

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 1980: 13

Number of days when the minimum temperature was below -10 degrees in 2018: 2

The case of Drobeta Turnu Severyn – And two degrees are felt

Drobeta Turnu-Severin

1973: 11.4C

2012: 13.3C

The number of days with a temperature above 30 C in 1973: 39

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 2012: 91

Number of days when the minimum temperature was below -5 C in 1973: 22

The number of days when the minimum was below -5 C in 2012: 33

It should be noted that the summer of 2012 was significantly higher than in 1973, and the winter of 2012 was significantly more severe.

The case of Cluj, 4 degrees less than 30 years

1987: 7.2C

2014: 11.1C

The number of days with a maximum above 30 C in 1987: 8

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 C in 2014: 19

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 1985: 42

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 2014: 5

3 degrees at the top of Ohm

1987: -3.4C

2018: -0.2C

Number of nights with lows below -10 C in 1987: 121

Number of nights with lows below -10 C in 2018: 78

Number of days with snow cover in 1987: 230

Number of days with snow cover in 2018: 194

The case of Sibiu – a difference of 3.6 C

1980: 7.5C

2019: 11.1C

The number of days with a temperature above +30 C in 1980: 6

The number of days with a maximum temperature above 30 degrees in 2019: 31

Number of days when the minimum was below -10 degrees in 1980: 24

Number of days when the minimum temperature was below -10 degrees in 2019: 12

Number of days with snow cover in 1980: 70

Number of days with snow cover in 2019: 44

Sulina = Brasov, a very special case that shows how much has changed

In this case, we go further and compare two cities with very different climates. On rare occasions, annual temperatures in Sulin can reach averages in the 80s similar to the hottest year recently recorded in Brasov.

Sulina is one of the warmest places in the country, there are very rare frosts, many nights with a minimum temperature above 20 degrees and a small temperature difference between night and day. Brasov, 600 meters away, has a much cooler climate, but annual highs are usually higher than Sulin.

The difference between Sulina and Brasov is more than 3 degrees if we take the average annual temperature for the last eight years (9.4 C in Brasov vs. 13 C in Sulin).

If you take the warmest year from Brasov and the coldest from Sulina, you can reach a close value.

So, in 1985 the average temperature in Sulin was only +9.9 C. The same was the average in the hottest year in history in Brasov: +9.9 C. Also in 2019 in Sulin the average temperature was + 13.8 C .

A significant difference between the two cities is related to the temperature fluctuations between night and day: in Brasov, the average temperature in 2019 was over 12 degrees, while in Sulin it was only 5 degrees. In Brasov, the maximums were higher than in Sulin, where, for example, it rarely exceeds 20 degrees in November. On the other hand, even comparing these extreme years, nighttime highs were clearly higher in Sulin.

In February 1985, there were 18 frosty days in Sulin, and the month of July brought an extremely low average temperature: +20.4 C.

In 2019, Brasov had 15 days with highs above 30 C, December had six days with highs above +10 C, and November had six days with highs above 20 C, including near the middle of the month. October was also very warm, with 15 consecutive days of maximum temperatures exceeding 20C.