A year of abnormal heat: May became the 12th consecutive month with above-average temperatures
Residents of Tatarstan can expect a comfortably hot summer
May became the 12th consecutive abnormally warm month — throughout the year, temperatures exceeded the norm by several degrees. And the trend is only gaining momentum — ahead, residents of Tatarstan can expect an equally warm summer. Fortunately, the deviation from the norm, according to the forecast of the republic's Hydrometeorological Centre, will be just 1 degree, with the average monthly temperature reaching 18.8 degrees. Read more in the Realnoe Vremya report.
A year of abnormal heat
The past May turned out to be abnormally warm — the average temperature exceeded the norm by half a degree and reached 14.7 degrees. Climatologist Timur Aukhadeyev shared this with Realnoe Vremya.
“May has already become the 12th consecutive month with a heat anomaly. This sequence began back in June of last year. During the first half of the year, it was explained by El Niño — a global phenomenon in the Atlantic Ocean, when the water becomes abnormally warm. Now the weather is shaped by cyclones, which brought us warmth throughout the winter. In addition, we received few air masses from the north,” he explained.
May stood out not only for its temperature — the amount of precipitation was also abnormal. It exceeded the norm (38 mm) by nearly three times, reaching 98 mm. However, according to Aukhadeyev, even this volume did not break the 1989 record — that year, 113 mm of precipitation fell.
“Our May was very contrasting. During the first ten days, we were practically living with April temperatures — the background was below the May norm. The final ten days, however, were as hot as July,” the climatologist added.
Aukhadeyev clarified that the average temperature during the last days of May exceeded 24 degrees.
“We sometimes have years when the thermometer doesn’t reach that mark throughout the entire summer. And here, we had three such days in May alone,” he added. “Naturally, this affects the high fire danger in forests. We even issued storm warnings because of it.”
As a reminder, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, since the beginning of the year, the region has recorded 1,716 residential fires (a 14% increase compared to the same period last year) and 465 wildfires. The fires claimed the lives of 62 people, including two children, and injured another 61.
In this regard, the head of the region, Rustam Minnikhanov, instructed that preventive measures be strengthened:
- conduct inspections of residential properties;
- intensify forest patrols;
- inform the public about fire safety rules;
- check the condition of stoves, gas equipment, and electrical wiring.
At the end of May, the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations for Tatarstan issued an emergency warning due to abnormal heat in the republic on 31 May. Forecasters predicted daytime air temperatures would rise to +34°C.
Air temperature in Tatarstan will decrease, but remain within normal limits
June will continue the year-long trend of abnormal heat — the deviation from the norm will amount to 1 degree. As the head of Tatarstan’s Hydrometeorological Centre, Felix Gogol, told Realnoe Vremya, the average June temperature in Kazan will be 19.3 degrees, and across Tatarstan — 18.8 degrees.
“A cold spell has now set in, and a similar weather pattern will continue until the end of the week. Cyclonic activity with precipitation will prevail. The temperature background will be significantly lower than at the end of May, but it can’t be called truly cold. It will still remain within the normal range — just above 20 degrees,” the spokesperson warned.
The Hydrometeorological Centre then forecast worsening weather conditions on the evening of 2 June and the night of 3 June. In some areas, heavy rain and gusty winds with speeds of 15–20 m/s were recorded. In Kazan, heavy rain and winds reaching 15–18 m/s were predicted.
Precipitation in June is expected to remain close to the average amount. Approximately 57 mm will fall in Kazan, and 60 mm across Tatarstan.
“The long-term forecast is provided by the Russian Hydrometeorological Centre. According to it, all months in Tatarstan will exceed the norm by 1–3 degrees, but this is not critical. Overall, favourable weather conditions are expected,” Gogol said.
Precipitation will also remain within normal limits. However, the head of the centre warned that long-term forecasts may change.
No casualties reported
Despite the abnormal heat, residents of Tatarstan did not seek medical assistance. According to Farid Galyautdinov, Chief Physician of the Kazan Emergency Medical Service Station, this is due to the short duration of the high temperatures. Usually, casualties occur when the heat lasts longer than a week.
“We did not observe a surge in emergency calls during these 2–3 hot days. In other years, the heat lasted for two weeks to a month, during which the body becomes exhausted. I recall that last year there was a relentless heatwave lasting two weeks — at that time, there were indeed many casualties,” he told Realnoe Vremya.
Galyautdinov also named several ways to stay safe during the heat:
- wear a head covering;
- drink plenty of water;
- when possible, go for walks only in the evening.
“Right now is the peak period for ultraviolet rays. This lasts from the end of May until approximately mid-June. They have a rather adverse effect on the body, and one can suffer burns or heatstroke,” the medic concluded.
