2. Climate

This chapter provides a concise description of climatic conditions of the Carpatho–Balkan–Dinaric region. This mountain system covers an area of ca 1,000 × 1,100 km in Central and Southeastern Europe. Although the predominant part of the region belongs to the zone of temperate warm climates, the southwestern and southern parts have a subtropical (Mediterranean) climate. About 20 meteorological stations deliver data on the higher elevations of the mountains. According to M. Hess’ classification, the mountain area is divided into seven vertical climatic zones, distinguished on the basis of mean annual temperature, which varies from 16°C in the southwest, along the Adriatic Sea coast, to −4°C on highest mountain summits. Data on the most important climatic parameters such as absolute maxima and minima of temperature, sunshine duration, precipitation, and snow cover duration are presented in tabulated form.