Dear participants in the liquidation the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant! 35 years have passed since the day when the explosion of the reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant became a new starting point in the history of the development of the entire human civilization. The consequences of the Chernobyl disaster affected many countries, but Belarus, Ukraine and Russia were the most affected. Almost a quarter of the territory, where one fifth of the population of our country lived, became the zone of radioactive contamination. Tens of thousands of people were resettled from the most contaminated areas, millions of people were exposed to low doses of radiation. For Belarus, the Chernobyl tragedy has become a national disaster. Every year on April 26, the whole world recalls the victims and the grave consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, recalls those who, not sparing their health and life, took up the fight against the radiation element. Belhydromet remembers all of its employees who took part in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Thank you for your conscientious work and courage shown. We wish you and your loved ones health, happiness and prosperity!

The average air temperature in Belarus in March was + 1.1°C, which is 0.9°C higher than the climatic norm. The above zero air temperature anomaly spread everywhere, reaching the highest values in the Vitebsk region (on average in the region of 1.3°C), and the lowest in the Gomel region (on the average in the region of 0.6°C). On average, 26.7 mm of precipitation fell in Belarus in March, which amounted to 68% of the climatic norm. Moisture deficit was noted throughout the country. The smallest amount of precipitation fell on the territory of the Brest region (53% of the norm), the highest - on the territory of the Vitebsk region (79% of the norm). In March, the nature of the weather contributed to the slow melting of ice on the country's water bodies and their gradual clearing of ice formations. By the end of the month, only on the Western Dvina near the city of Surazh, an incomplete ice cover remained, and on the Pripyat tributary, the Ptich river, near the village of Daraganovo, there were water shores. In March, on the rivers of the country, the increase in the water levels of the spring flood occurred everywhere. In some parts of the rivers of the basins of the Neman, Viliya, Zapadny Bug, Dnieper, Berezina, Sozh and Pripyat, the water levels exceeded the level of water outlet to the floodplain. On the river Pronya tributary near the village of Letyaga, the water level exceeded a dangerous high mark, and on the Pripyat near the villages of Chernichi and the town of Petrikov, as well as on its tributary river Sluch near the village of Lenin, the water levels were close to dangerous high marks. By the end of the month, due to negative night air temperatures, in some parts of the rivers there was a slight drop in water levels and their even course, as a result of which the water level on the Pronya River, a tributary of the Sozh near the village of Letyagi, dropped below a dangerous high mark. In March, the water content of Sozh and Pripyat was close to the usual for this time of year, the water content of the Neman and Viliya was 10-40% less than the norm, and the water content of the Dnieper, Berezina and Western Dvina in the area of Polotsk was 20-40% higher than the norm.

In February, the average monthly air temperature was -6.5°C, which is 2.2°C below the climatic norm. The below zero air temperature anomaly spread everywhere. The first and second ten days of the month were very cold with average ten-day temperatures 4.4°C and 6.0°C below normal, respectively. The third decade was very warm with an average temperature of 5.5°C above normal. In February, the amount of precipitation in Belarus averaged 38.7 mm, or 111% of the climatic norm. Excess precipitation was noted over most of the country. The largest amount of precipitation fell in the Mogilev and Gomel regions - on average 57.9 mm (175% of the climatic norm) and 55.9 mm (164% of the climatic norm), respectively, the lowest in the Vitebsk region - on average for the region 21.6 mm (54% of the climatic norm).  During the month, precipitation fell unevenly. In the first decade, excessive moisture was noted (21.9 mm or 178% of the norm per decade fell), in the second decade, the moisture regime was close to the usual (12.4 mm or 105% of the norm), in the third, there was a shortage of precipitation (4.5 mm or 41%). In February, almost everywhere on the rivers of the country, freeze-up up to 35 cm thick was observed; in some places, ice holes were observed in the ice cover. On the reservoirs Vileyskoye, Chigirinskoye, Zaslavskoye, Soligorskoye, Krasnaya Sloboda, lakes Lukomskoye, Drivyaty, Naroch and Chervoneye, a continuous ice cover up to 40 cm thick was observed. In the third decade of February, as a result of an increase in air temperature, processes of ice destruction began on the country's water bodies. In the first two decades of the month, slight fluctuations in water levels were noted, in the third decade, weather conditions contributed to the melting of snow and ice covers, as a result of which water levels were observed on most rivers in the country. In some parts of the rivers of the basins of the Neman, Viliya, Dnieper, Berezina, Sozh and Pripyat, the water levels exceeded the mark of water outlet to the floodplain. By the end of February, the water content of Viliya, Zapadny Bug, Pripyat, as well as the Neman near Stolbtsy and Dnieper in the Orsha - Mogilev section was close to the usual for this time of year, the water content of the Zapadnaya Dvina, Berezina, Sozh and Dnieper in the Zhlobin - Rechitsa section was higher the norm, and less than the norm was the water content of the Neman in the Belitsa - Grodno section.

In March, the air temperature rises rapidly from the first decade to the third. On average in the republic, the temperature in the first decade is -2°С, and in the warmest - the third decade, the average republican temperature rises to +2.4°С. March is a transitional month from winter to spring. The beginning of the climatic spring is considered to be the transition of the average daily air temperature through 0°С upward, which occurs in the southwestern part of Belarus on average March 9-15, in the central part of the republic - March 16-20, in the North-East of the country - March 21-23. The average monthly air temperature in March (climatic norm) varies from -1.4°С in the North-East to + 2.2°С in the South-West of the republic, and its values are 4-5 ° C higher than in February. Depending on the nature of atmospheric processes, the temperature can differ significantly from the long-term average values. So, it was 3-4°C warmer than usual in March 1989, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019.  March 2007 turned out to be exceptionally warm with an average monthly temperature of + 5°С above the climatic norm, the temperature in March 2014 was only 0.1°С lower than the temperature in March 2007. It was colder than usual in March 1963, 1964, 1969, 1980 and 1987, when the average monthly temperature was 5-6°C below the climatic norm. The coldest March was observed in 1952, when the average monthly air temperature was 9.2°C below the long-term average. The prevailing daytime air temperature in March changes from + 2.3°С in the East to + 6.3°С in the South-West. The absolute maximum temperature (+23.1°С) was recorded in Lelchitsy on March 19, 1990. The air temperature at night on average ranges from -1.2°С in the South-West to -5°С in the North and North-East, the absolute minimum air temperature (-38°С) was recorded in Zhlobin on March 8, 1964. On average, precipitation falls from 31 mm to 51 mm per month (climatic norm). Rainfall can vary from year to year from 1-11 mm to 66-189 mm. In March, on average there are 13-20 days with precipitation. In March, as a rule, the stable snow cover is destroyed. This occurs in the South-Western part of the republic, usually in the first decade of March, in the central part - in the second decade, in the North and North-East of the country, the average date of destruction of the snow cover falls on the third decade of the month. There has been no stable snow cover since 2000 in March 2002, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017. In March, on average, there are 4-7 days with fogs, in some years 9-16 days, 1-2 days with ice, 1-3 days with frost and 2-5 days with snowstorms. In some years in March there are 1-3 days with thunderstorms. The average monthly air temperature is expected to be 1°C higher than the climatic norm (climatic norm -1°C, +2°C). The monthly amount of precipitation is assumed to be within the long-term average values (climatic norm 31-51 mm).

On February 25, 2021, a working meeting was held to discuss the second nationally determined contribution of the Republic of Belarus in the framework of the EU for Climate project. The meeting took place in a hybrid format: online - for participants, in the conference room - for speakers. The meeting was attended by: • representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter - the Ministry of Natural Resources): First Deputy of the Ministry of Natural Resources Boleslav Pirshtuk - national coordinator of the EU for Climate Project;  Head of the Department for Regulation of Effects on the Air, Climate Change and Expertise of the Ministry of Natural Resources Natalia Inchina ;   • employees of the Delegation of the European Union (hereinafter - the EU) in Belarus; • representatives of the United Nations Development Program (hereinafter - UNDP) ROS: E vgen Groza - Head of the regional project "EU for Climate"; • UNDP representatives in Belarus: Alexandra Solovyova ; • National experts on the Nationally Determined Contribution (hereinafter - NOV): I. Tochitskaya, V. Rak, E. Bertosh, I. Filyutich, A. Shatravko,  Y. Popruzhenko; • international consultants: E. Kempel - international consultant on NOV, UNDP ROS; A. Sankovsky - International Consultant on NOV, UNDP/UNEP GSP;  • representatives of republican government bodies, organizations; • project partners. From Belhydromet, as listeners, the following took part: the head and engineer-meteorologist of the 2nd category of the department for the study of climate change Natalia Klevets and Ekaterina Artimenya. The meeting participants were assigned the following tasks: 1. Consider the national implementation of the norms of the Paris Agreement (hereinafter - PS); 2. To get acquainted with the work carried out to determine the Second NOV of the Republic of Belarus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (hereinafter - GHG) until 2030; 3. To get acquainted with international experience in the preparation of NOV; 4. Determine the recommended indicator for the next NOV of the Republic of Belarus. Climate change has become one of the most important challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Currently, UNDP is implementing a regional project "EU for Climate", which aims to support the governments of six eastern EU partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine - in the fight against climate change, assistance in the implementation of the Paris Agreement by climate; improving climate policy and legislation. The EU for Climate Project is funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP in the participating countries. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus is the national partner of the project in Belarus. Updating the Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement is one of the strategic directions of the project. During the implementation of the project, work was carried out to determine the Second Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce greenhouse gases in accordance with the international obligations of the Republic of Belarus to implement the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. At the working meeting, representatives of the EU, UNDP, the Ministry of Natural Resources, ministries and subordinate organizations, public associations, non-governmental organizations, the scientific community, international and national experts on NOV considered the results of the work carried out to determine the second NOV of the Republic of Belarus until 2030, and also discussed technical and economic planning perspectives embedded in each of the CO2 reduction scenarios. The experts shared the results of the compilation of forecasts of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a comparative analysis of the ambition of the proposed NOV with other countries. In the near future, after the working meeting, it is planned to collegially agree on the second Nationally Determined Contribution, which will subsequently be submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The undp.org website provides information on the workshop described above.

The average air temperature was within -4.1°C, which is 0.3°C higher than the climatic norm. The temperature regime was heterogeneous throughout the month. The first and third decades were very warm, with an average air temperature of 3.8°С and 4.0°C above normal. The second decade was very cold with the air temperature 7.0°C below normal. During the month, on average, 73.2 mm of precipitation fell in Belarus, which is 183% of the climatic norm. Throughout the country in January, 1.5-2 rainfall rates fell. Precipitation fell in the form of rain, snow and sleet. The height of the snow cover on the last day of the month ranged from 5 cm to 44 cm. In early January, weather conditions facilitated the opening and clearing of rivers from ice formations, freeze-up and freeze-up with openings were observed only on the Western Dvina near the city of Surazh and the village of Ulla, the Dnieper near the town of Rechitsa, their individual tributaries and some tributaries of the Sozh. On the reservoirs Vileyskoye, Chigirinskoye, Zaslavskoye, Soligorskoye, Krasnaya Sloboda, lakes Drivyaty and Chervoneye, freeze-up with openings was observed. In the second decade, due to a drop in air temperature, ice formation processes resumed on the country's water bodies. Frosty weather contributed to the establishment of freeze-up and an increase in ice thickness on the country's water bodies. Freeze-up with a thickness of 5-21 cm was established on the rivers of the basins of the Western Dvina, Dnieper, Berezina, Sozh, Pripyat, most of the rivers of the basins of the Neman and Viliya; in some places, polynyas were observed in the ice cover. On the reservoirs Vileyskoye, Chigirinskoye, Zaslavskoye, Soligorskoye, Krasnaya Sloboda, lakes Lukomskoye, Drivyaty, Naroch and Chervoneye, a continuous ice cover with a thickness of 14-24 cm was noted. In the third decade, the unstable nature of the weather and precipitation in the form of rain and sleet contributed to the melting of ice on the country's water bodies, spaces with an open water surface increased in the ice cover, and water appeared on the ice. Separate tributaries of the Neman, Dnieper and Berezina were cleared of ice formations. In January, the rise in water levels prevailed on the country's rivers. In some sections of the rivers, during the period of ice formation, there were sharp (up to 46 cm) daily fluctuations in water levels caused by ice jam. The water levels exceeded the marks of the water outlet on the floodplain on the Neman near the village of Belitsa, Viliya near the village of Steshitsy, the Dnieper near the town of Loev, the Berezina near the town of Berezino and the town of Svetlogorsk, its tributary to the river Svisloch near the village of Terebuty, Sozhe near the town. Slavgorod and the Pripyat tributary to the Ptich river near the village of 1st Slobodka. In January, the water content of the rivers Zapadnaya Dvina, Dnieper, Berezina near the towns of Borisov and Sozh in the Krichev - Slavgorod section was 40-50% higher than the norm. The water content of the Neman, Viliya, Western Bug, Pripyat, Berezina near the city of Bobruisk and Sozh near the city of Gomel was close to the usual for this time of year and somewhat less than it.

February is the last winter month and is close to January in its temperature regime. The average monthly air temperature in February (climatic norm) in Belarus is -4,3°С, varying from -1,9°С in the South-West to -6,2°С in the Northeast, and in comparison with January it rises by 0,2°C. In some years, it can sharply differ from the average long-term values. Thus, the average monthly air temperature in February 1947, 1954, 1985, 1986 was 8-11°C below the climatic norm. During the post-war period, the coldest (with an average monthly air temperature in the republic of -14,9°C, which is 10,6°C lower than the average long-term values) was February 1956. February 1929 is considered extremely cold for the entire period of meteorological observations (the average monthly temperature is -17.1°C, which is 12.8°C lower than the climatic norm). Warm weather (5-6°C above the climatic norm) was noted in February 1989, 1995, 2002, 2016 and 2020. The warmest for the entire more than a century period of meteorological observations was February 1990 with an average monthly air temperature of + 2.6 ° С, which is almost 6.9 ° С warmer than usual. Night temperatures in February are -5 -9°С, but during cold invasions from the Arctic they can drop to -25°С and below. The absolute minimum (-40.7°С) was noted at the Dokshitsy meteorological station on the night of February 1, 1956. During the day, the air temperature is usually -3, +1°С. The absolute maximum (+17.2°С) was recorded at the Brest meteorological station in the afternoon of February 21, 1990. During the month, usually 10-17 days with a thaw are observed. The duration of sunshine per month is 59-70 hours. During February, the snow cover increases, and by the end of the month, as a rule, the average height of the snow cover reaches 12-26 cm, in the southern regions of the republic - 7-14 cm. On average, 12-18 days with precipitation are noted per month. their number is 27-45 mm (climatic norm). With a cyclonic nature of the weather, the monthly amount of precipitation increases to 56-130 mm, exceeding the norm by 2-3 times. In some years, when anticyclonic processes prevail, the monthly amount of precipitation decreases to 1-11 mm. On average, in February, there are 1-4 days with icy phenomena, 2-6 days with frost, 3-8 days with a blizzard and 2-11 days with fogs. The average monthly air temperature is expected to be 1°C below the climatic norm, in some places around it (norm -2 -6°C). Monthly precipitation is forecasted within the long-term average values (climatic norm 27-45 mm).

 

In November 2020, the average air temperature in Belarus was +3.8°C, which is 2.9°C higher than the climatic norm. The above zero air temperature anomaly spread everywhere, all three decades of the month were warm. In November, the country received an average of 35.9 mm of precipitation (78% of the climatic norm). During the month, precipitation fell unevenly. In the first and second decades, there was a shortage of precipitation, in the third it fell slightly above the norm. In the first decade of November, precipitation fell mainly in the form of rain. In the second and third decades of the month, snowfall and sleet were recorded; in some areas, snow cover was established for a short time. On the last day of the month, its height in most of the territory was from 0.5 to 16 cm. In the first two decades of November, fluctuations in water levels were observed on the rivers; in the third decade of the month, an increase in water levels was observed on most rivers of the country, due to precipitation. By the end of the month on the Neman near Grodno, Dnieper near Mogilev, Zhlobin and Loev, Berezina near Bobruisk and Sozhe near Gomel, the water levels were below the marks limiting navigation. The water content of the Neman and Pripyat was 40-50% less than the norm, and the water content of the Western Dvina, Viliya, Western Bug, Dnieper, Berezina and Sozh was close to the usual for this time of year and somewhat less than it. The average water temperature in the rivers in November was 4.1-8.3°C, which is 2-4°C higher than usual for this time of year.

In December, the air temperature drops rapidly from the first decade to the third decade. In 26% of years, the coldest is the first decade, in 33% of years is the second decade, in 41% of years is the third decade. December is the first month of winter. However, atmospheric processes, especially in the first half of the month, they still retain the features of the transitional season. Therefore, unstable weather with significant fluctuations in air temperature is often observed in December. Quite often, the first five days and even the first ten days of the month are very warm. During December, 13-20 days are usually marked with a thaw. Cold spells are most likely in the second half of December. The monthly average air temperature in December (climatic norm) ranges from 1.3°C in the South-West to -4.7°C in the North-East of Belarus and, compared to November temperature, decreases by 4°C. In some years, it can significantly differ from the long-term average values. So, December 1960, 1971, 1974, 1982, 2000, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 were warmer than usual by 3-5°С. The warmest was December 2006 with an average air temperature in the Republic was +2.6°C, which is 5.9°C higher than the climatic norm. Cold weather (below the climatic norm by 3-6 ° С) was noted in December 1959, 1963, 1969, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2010. December 1978 was very cold (6.7°C below the climatic norm), when the average air temperature in the Republic was -10°C. In December, the average night air temperature is within from -4°С to -7°С, daytime from - 2°С to +1°С. The absolute minimum (-38.6°С) was recorded at the Ezerische meteorological station in 1978, the absolute maximum air temperature in December (+14.5°С) was recorded in Brest in 1961. The duration of sunshine per month is 24-33 hours. On average, 35-58 mm of precipitation falls per month (climatic norm). The minimum monthly amount of precipitation is 2-17 mm, the maximum is 71-143 mm  (2-3 monthly norms). In some cases, 16-41 mm of precipitation may fall per day. The timing of the formation of stable snow cover, depending on the nature of the weather, varies greatly from year to year. Snow cover in most of the territory of Belarus is usually established in the first - second decades of December, in the extreme southern regions - in the third decade. Its height by the end of the month reaches an average of 4-10 cm. If warm weather prevails in December, then snow falls only in January. December usually has 3 to 15 days with fog and ice, from 2 to 5 days with a blizzard and from 18 to 21 days with precipitation. The average monthly air temperature is expected to be 1°C higher than the climatic norm (norm -1 -5°C). The monthly amount of precipitation is assumed to be near the climatic norm, in some places less than it (norm 35-58 mm).