Climate variability in the spring of 2018 in the south-west of Romania in the context of climate change

Abstract

Climate variability in the spring of 2018 in the south-west of Romania in the context of climate change. The paper analyses climatic variability in south-western Romania in the spring of 2018. After the warm winter, from the late winter phenomena with snow layer, recorded in March in the intervals 1-8.III and 19-27.III, it followed the warmest month of April, by temperature averages, throughout the history of climate observations, and the warm weather has continued throughout May. In March there was an absolute climatic record of the minimum temperature at Tg. Logrești of -24.8°C (1.III.2018). In April the weather was warm on most of the Northern Hemisphere except the North American continent. The temperature averages registered in April 2018 have become absolute climatic records not only in Oltenia but even in the whole country and an extended area on the European continent. In Oltenia, April was excessively droughty, but heavy rainfall in March provided the groundwater reserve throughout the month, although some cereal crops have been affected. April was warm in all Oltenia with a general average deviation of 2.5°C, and the rainfalls returned, but the drought continued in the Romanați Plain. Climatic variability was particularly high, the climate evolving from an extreme to the other, but nevertheless the statistical analysis of the climatic data shows that the climate warming continued. The paper is part of an extensive series of studies on climate variability in Oltenia and climatic risk phenomena (Bogdan, Marinica, Andreea Floriana Marinică 2010, 2017; Marinică, Andreea Floriana Marinică 2016) being useful to all interested in climate problems in the south-west Romania.