Long-term Changes in the Wind Regime in the Northwestern Caspian Sea

Abstract

In recent years, much attention has been paid to climate change issues. Regional climate change can be manifested in the changes in the main climate-forming factors, including wind. Studying the climatic characteristics of wind over the Caspian Sea is considered the most important task, since wind affects the variability of currents, the formation of hydrological and hydrochemical processes, and the information about the wind regime is necessary for the operation of marine organizations, the specifics of which is the dependence of all stationary and mobile objects in the sea on hydrometeorological conditions. The paper presents the analysis of the frequency of wind directions and wind speeds for individual months, seasons, years, and different gradations of wind speed. For the climatic characteristics of wind speed for consecutive 30-year periods, the comparative analysis of changes in climatological normals is carried out, and wind characteristic deviations relative to the standard reference period are revealed.