Modern changes in the precipitation and air temperature regime in the mountainous regions of the Dagestan republic

Abstract

The study focuses on the local dynamics of precipitation and temperature in the mountainous regions of the Dagestan Republic (North Caucasus, eastern part). A shift in the secondary maximum of the precipitation annual distribution in the low-mountainous part of the region from August to September was found. The wettest years in the highlands in the periods 1966--1978 and 1996--2013 are discovered. The period from the beginning of the current century until now is identified as the wettest in the low-mountain zone. It was found that the trends of seasonal temperatures are positive. At the same time, the dynamics of spring temperatures remained insignificant in the low-mountain zone until 2010. It was revealed that the statistically reliable increase of temperature in February and March and unidirectional tendencies in the daily characteristics of precipitation is the local pattern of the climate change in this part of the North Caucasus. In this season the increase in the average and maximum daily precipitation intensity is reliable.