O prawidłowościach piętrowego zróżnicowania stosunków klimatycznych w Sudetach

Abstract

Differential features of macro- and mezoscale climatic conditions in the Sudety Mountains are presented by evaluating quantitative correlations of the climatic elements and factors to an altitude above the sea level, as well as by defining quantitative correlations of various climatic characteristics to each other. For the purpose of this paper, a method for the mountain climate description is used which was worked out earlier for the Western Carpathians in the Climatology Department of the Institute for Geography, Yagellonian University (M. Hess 1965, 1966a, b 1967; M. Hess, T. Niedźwiedź, В. Obrębska-Starklowa 1975, 1976, 1977). The work was based on materials of 1956—1965 from 34 stations representing the altitudes ranging from 200 to 1600 m above the sea level (tab. 1). The stations are located in the Sudety Mountains and in their forcfield. Twenty-five stations were located in concave and nine stations in convex site forms. Materials available for these stations described thermal and snow cover conditions, as well as precipitation conditions. Linear correlations of various climatic elements and factors to the altitude above the sea level (table 2) temperatures (table 9) and to the average annual ambient were calculated by the computer „Odra 1204”. For estimating the leading factors in order to describe macro- and mezoscale climatic conditions we used a number of highly significant correlations to other climatic conditions. Hence, annual average minimum temperatures (table 11) and average duration of the frostless season (table 12) were distinguished as characteristic criteria for mezoclimatic conditions within varying-relief areas. Differential mezoclimatic conditions resulting from the relief forms may be also shown basing on the average annual temperature correlations to other climatic characteristics (tables 9, 10). The average annual temperature is of primary importance for differentiating climatic zones in the mountains and consequently for macroclimate description (tables 2, 10). The Sudety Mountains have been found to be affected by two climate types — within four climatic zones (table 2). In pluvionival climate moderate warm and moderate cool zones are observed; in niveopluvial climate — cool and very cool ones. Annual average air temperature in the vertical profile of the Sudety Mountains is ranging from 8° to 0° and together with it the whole range of climatic elements and factors is fluctuating (table 10). Borderlines of climatic zones in the Sudety Mountains are shifted towards the lower altitudes than in the Western Carpathians- lower from several dozen to 250—300 m (table 2). This results from this chain being situated more westward than the Carpathians, from its lower massivity and exposure to more often advections of fresh air masses. Greater extent of climatic oceanism in the Sudety is indicated by comparison of the values as tabulated in tables 5 and 6.