Climate of submontane location Stará Lesná (1988–2013)

Abstract

This paper focuses on evaluation of climatic data obtained at Meteorological
Observatory GPI SAS Stará Lesná according to the classical daily observations carried
out for period 1988-2013. Location is situated at the foothills of the High Tatra Mts. and
represents submontane climate zone favourable for temperate coniferous and mixed forest
vegetation. According to observations climate of Star´a Lesn´a is characterized by average
annual air temperature 5.9 °C that seasonally varies from –3.5 °C (DJF) to 15.2 °C (JJA).
Air-temperature extremes range between –26.5 and 34.2 °C. Daily air temperature maxima
and derived indices such as the number of summer days indicate moderate warming
during last decade. Growing season length is about 195 days. Average annual precipitation
is 744 mm, seasonal comparison shows nearly twice more precipitation amount
in summer than winter half year. Snow depth is 35 cm on average, extraordinary over
50 cm. Relative air humidity is about 78%. Wet periods lasted from 5 to 13 consecutive
wet days; substantially longer are dry periods from 14 to 39 days. Average sunshine
duration is 1806 hours per year. The number of sunny days is clearly lower than the
number of cloudy days. Surface air pressure 920.4 hPa relates to altitudinal position of
site. Wind blows mostly from the more open southern side. Although average wind speed
is rather low (2.1 m/s), occurrence of strong wind gusts above 40 m/s can cause such a
spatial destruction of natural environment as in November 2004.