site.bta2023: Warmest Year Recorded in Bulgaria since 1930

According to a preliminary estimate of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) published on Friday, the average annual temperature for 2023 in Bulgaria was 12.9C - the warmest year recorded in the country since 1930.

It was about 0.4C warmer than 2019 - the second warmest in that period. The winter and autumn of 2023 were the warmest winter and autumn seasons over the same period, while summer was the third warmest. Only spring had below-normal temperatures, NIMH noted.

The month with the largest positive deviation from the norm was January, followed by October, December and September. September had summer temperatures, although it is actually the first month of meteorological autumn. The number of summer days in September (days with a maximum temperature above 25C) was 25, which was more than the number of summer days in June, the first summer month. Temperatures of 36C or more were measured at 12 stations on September 23. It was also unusually warm in October, when there were long periods with consecutive summer days. On October 20-21, temperatures of 34C or more were measured in Pleven, Lovech, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Ruse, Dobrich and Varna.

The second half of July saw one of the worst heat waves in the country in decades. There were periods of 8-12 days in Northern Bulgaria and 16-17 days in Southern Bulgaria with recorded maximum temperatures of 34C or more. At 38 NIMH meteorological stations, temperatures reached or exceeded 40C. On July 25-26 temperatures of 42C or more were measured in the regions of Pleven, Lovech, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, Varna, Yambol and Stara Zagora.

The lowest temperature measured was minus 24.7C on February 7 at Musala Peak, and the highest: 43.0C on July 25 in Ruse.

The frequency of wind storms during the year was significant. Almost in all months there were reports of material damage caused by strong wind gusts in different regions of the country. A tornado blew off the roofs of over 100 houses in Isperih Municipality on November 4. The most significant damage was dealt in the village of Lavino, where the roofs of over 30 houses were completely destroyed.

On November18, two people died after being crushed by fallen trees due to hurricane winds in Varna and Sofia. Gusty winds, in many places at speeds of more than 20 m/s, damaged parks and buildings almost all over the country. The highest wind speed was recorded in Ruse on December 23 - over 40 m/s.