Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes
The Caucasus region, characterized by its complex topography and diverse climatic regimes, exhibits pronounced spatial variability in temperature and precipitation patterns. This study investigates the seasonal behavior of air temperature, precipitation, vertical temperature gradients, and inversion...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/889 |
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| author | Mariam Elizbarashvili Nazibrola Beglarashvili Mikheil Pipia Elizbar Elizbarashvili Nino Chikhradze |
| author_facet | Mariam Elizbarashvili Nazibrola Beglarashvili Mikheil Pipia Elizbar Elizbarashvili Nino Chikhradze |
| author_sort | Mariam Elizbarashvili |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Caucasus region, characterized by its complex topography and diverse climatic regimes, exhibits pronounced spatial variability in temperature and precipitation patterns. This study investigates the seasonal behavior of air temperature, precipitation, vertical temperature gradients, and inversion phenomena across distinct landscape types using observational data from 63 meteorological stations for 1950–2022. Temperature trends were analyzed using linear regression, while vertical lapse rates and inversion layers were assessed based on seasonal temperature–elevation relationships. Precipitation regimes were evaluated through Mann-Kendall trend tests and Sen’s slope estimators. Results reveal that temperature regimes are strongly modulated by landscape type and elevation, with higher thermal variability in montane and subalpine zones. Seasonal temperature inversions are most frequent in spring and winter, especially in western lowlands and enclosed valleys. Precipitation patterns vary markedly across landscapes: humid lowlands show autumn–winter maxima, while arid and semi-arid zones peak in spring or late autumn. Some landscapes exhibit secondary maxima and minima, influenced by Mediterranean cyclones and regional atmospheric stability. Statistically significant trends include increasing cool-season precipitation in humid regions and decreasing spring rainfall in arid areas. These findings highlight the critical role of topography and landscape structure in shaping regional climate patterns and provide a foundation for improved climate modeling, ecological planning, and adaptation strategies in the Caucasus. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c9e9694a8a414de999be0ae702bd9708 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-c9e9694a8a414de999be0ae702bd97082025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-07-0116788910.3390/atmos16070889Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus LandscapesMariam Elizbarashvili0Nazibrola Beglarashvili1Mikheil Pipia2Elizbar Elizbarashvili3Nino Chikhradze4Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 0179 Tbilisi, GeorgiaInstitute of Hydrometeorology, Georgian Technical University, 0112 Tbilisi, GeorgiaInstitute of Hydrometeorology, Georgian Technical University, 0112 Tbilisi, GeorgiaInstitute of Hydrometeorology, Georgian Technical University, 0112 Tbilisi, GeorgiaFaculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 0179 Tbilisi, GeorgiaThe Caucasus region, characterized by its complex topography and diverse climatic regimes, exhibits pronounced spatial variability in temperature and precipitation patterns. This study investigates the seasonal behavior of air temperature, precipitation, vertical temperature gradients, and inversion phenomena across distinct landscape types using observational data from 63 meteorological stations for 1950–2022. Temperature trends were analyzed using linear regression, while vertical lapse rates and inversion layers were assessed based on seasonal temperature–elevation relationships. Precipitation regimes were evaluated through Mann-Kendall trend tests and Sen’s slope estimators. Results reveal that temperature regimes are strongly modulated by landscape type and elevation, with higher thermal variability in montane and subalpine zones. Seasonal temperature inversions are most frequent in spring and winter, especially in western lowlands and enclosed valleys. Precipitation patterns vary markedly across landscapes: humid lowlands show autumn–winter maxima, while arid and semi-arid zones peak in spring or late autumn. Some landscapes exhibit secondary maxima and minima, influenced by Mediterranean cyclones and regional atmospheric stability. Statistically significant trends include increasing cool-season precipitation in humid regions and decreasing spring rainfall in arid areas. These findings highlight the critical role of topography and landscape structure in shaping regional climate patterns and provide a foundation for improved climate modeling, ecological planning, and adaptation strategies in the Caucasus.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/889temperature inversionlandscape climatologyaltitudinal gradientclimate adaptation strategy |
| spellingShingle | Mariam Elizbarashvili Nazibrola Beglarashvili Mikheil Pipia Elizbar Elizbarashvili Nino Chikhradze Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes Atmosphere temperature inversion landscape climatology altitudinal gradient climate adaptation strategy |
| title | Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes |
| title_full | Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes |
| title_short | Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in Caucasus Landscapes |
| title_sort | seasonal temperature and precipitation patterns in caucasus landscapes |
| topic | temperature inversion landscape climatology altitudinal gradient climate adaptation strategy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/7/889 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariamelizbarashvili seasonaltemperatureandprecipitationpatternsincaucasuslandscapes AT nazibrolabeglarashvili seasonaltemperatureandprecipitationpatternsincaucasuslandscapes AT mikheilpipia seasonaltemperatureandprecipitationpatternsincaucasuslandscapes AT elizbarelizbarashvili seasonaltemperatureandprecipitationpatternsincaucasuslandscapes AT ninochikhradze seasonaltemperatureandprecipitationpatternsincaucasuslandscapes |