This peninsula is located in the north-west of the Russian Federation, is part of the Barents Sea in the north, and the White Sea in the east and south. The western border of the peninsula is a meridional depression that stretches from along the Kola River to

Its area is 100 thousand square kilometers, the northern shore is steep and high, and the southern one is gentle and low-lying, gently sloping. In the west of the peninsula there are mountain ranges - Khibiny and Lovozero tundra. In its center stretches the Keiva Ridge.

Geographical position

The Kola Peninsula occupies seventy percent of the territory of the Murmansk region. It is located in the far north of Russia. Almost all of its territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.

Climatic conditions

The Kola Peninsula has a very diverse climate. The warm North Atlantic Current warms it in the northwest. Here the climate is milder subarctic, maritime. Closer to the east, center and southwest of the territory, continentality increases - here the climate becomes moderately cold. The average January temperature ranges from -10°C in the northwest to -18°C in the center. In July, the air warms up from +8 °C to +10 °C.

Fully snow cover is established in early October, and disappears only at the end of May (in the mountains, this process drags on until mid-June). Frosts and snowfall are frequent even in summer. Strong winds often blow on the coast (up to 55 m / s), in winter, prolonged snowstorms are a common occurrence.

Relief and nature

The Kola Peninsula is terraces and depressions, plateaus and mountains. The massifs of the peninsula rise above sea level by more than eight hundred meters. Swamps and numerous lakes occupy the plains.

The reservoirs are rich in various types of fish - char and salmon, trout and whitefish, pike and grayling. In the seas washing the territory, flounder and cod, capelin and halibut, crab and herring are found in abundance.

History of the peninsula

Its specialists divide it into four main stages. The first began even before the arrival of the Russians on the Kola Peninsula. In those days, the indigenous population lived here - the Sami. They were engaged in deer hunting, berry picking, and fishing. The Sami lived in huts with a flat roof - blunts, or in huts made of deer skins - kuvaks.

The second historical period begins in the eleventh century, with the appearance of the first Pomeranian settlements. Their inhabitants did the same as the Sami, but, unlike them, they rarely went hunting.

They lived in ordinary Russian huts, but with very narrow windows. They were needed to keep warm as much as possible. Whole pieces of ice were installed in these narrow windows. When it thawed, a strong connection with the tree was formed.

The third historical period of the Kola Peninsula can be considered the wars against the interventionists. The Norwegians have interfered with the indigenous population since ancient times. They have long claimed the land of the Sami. They had to fight with them, protecting their territory. The British began to lay claim to the peninsula behind the Norwegians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, they burned Kola, a fortress built at the mouth of the river of the same name.

The fourth stage in the history of the peninsula is entirely associated with the emergence of the city of Murmansk. The first prospectors appeared in these places in 1912. Today it is the largest port in the Arctic.

Cities of the Kola Peninsula

The first settlement of Pomors, which appeared on the territory of the present city of Kola, appeared in 1264. It is mentioned in the notes of Simon van Salingen, a Dutch merchant in the 16th century.

At this time, the Pomors began active trade with the Norwegians, Swedes, British, Danes, who arrived by ship on the Kola Peninsula. The city of Kola became the administrative center. Its population was engaged in fishing, poultry and cattle breeding.

In 1814, the first stone church on the peninsula was built here. The townspeople became famous for fearlessly repulsing the attacks of the Swedes and the British.

Murmansk

This largest city in the Arctic is located on the Kola Peninsula. It was founded in October 1916. At first it was called Romanov-on-Murman. The city bore this name until April 1917. It is located on the coast of the Kola Bay, 50 kilometers from the Barents Sea. It is surrounded by numerous hills.

Its area is 15,055 hectares (including a section of the water area of ​​the Kola Bay - 1,357 hectares). The city consists of three administrative districts - Oktyabrsky, Leninsky and Pervomaisky.

Murmansk cannot be classified as one of the largest cities in our country, but it is the largest city in the world, located beyond the Arctic Circle.

In May 1985, he received the high title of "Hero City", and in February 1971 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.

Apatity

The Kola Peninsula, a photo of which can often be seen on the pages of travel publications, does not have many large cities on its territory. One of them is Apatity, with a territory under its jurisdiction, which includes the Khibiny station and the Tik-Guba settlement.

The city is located between and on the banks of the Belaya River. Population - 57905 people.

In 1916, a railway station appeared on the site of the present city, in connection with the start of the construction of the road. In 1930, the state farm "Industriya" was organized here.

The laying of the city took place in 1951, and three years later the construction of the academic campus began. Due to Stalin's death, work was suspended until 1956. Then the construction of the Kirovskaya GRES began in the city. In 1956, the first residential building was commissioned.

In 1966 the city was transformed. It included the village of Molodyozhny.

Winter on the Kola Peninsula

This is the longest season in these parts. Winter lasts up to eight months. In October, snow cover appears, and in May, lakes and rivers are still ice-bound. And at the same time, in winter, the Kola Peninsula (you see the photo in our article) is a unique, fairy-tale world. Despite the fact that the temperature can drop below 40 degrees, the cold does not hold down at all and is practically not felt, thanks to the low level of humidity.

polar night

Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula is located beyond the Arctic Circle, from the end of November to the end of January, the polar night reigns here.

The black sky is strewn with bright stars, the cities are illuminated by electric lights. At noon, the sky brightens a little, purple, dark blue and even pink shades appear on it. Thus pass two short hours of twilight. Then the sky darkens again.

Northern lights

Few of the inhabitants of the European part of our country had a chance to see this extraordinary sight that adorns the Kola Peninsula in winter. The black sky suddenly blooms with tongues of fiery shades - from crimson to blue-green. It's like a laser show, you can't take your eyes off it. It can be observed from September to April. Until now, the northern lights are considered a mysterious phenomenon, which even the inhabitants of the Arctic cannot get used to.

The rivers of the peninsula

The reservoirs of this land are mainly fed by melt water (up to 60% of the runoff). The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are full-flowing for 2 months a year (May-June), and then they become much shallower. The water level in them largely depends on the summer rains.

Their length exceeds 50 thousand km. They belong to the basin of two northern seas - the Barents and the White. Some of them are over 200 km long - Varzuga, Ponoy, Tuloma. They occupy 70% of the total basin area of ​​the Murmansk region. Almost all rivers have a meridional flow direction, only the Ponoi River differs in latitudinal flow.

Many Voronya, Umba, etc.) flow from large lakes. The water in them is usually greenish-blue and clear. During floods, rivers carry a large amount of silt, sand, and fallen leaves. The Kola Peninsula is distinguished by a long freeze-up - 7 months, the ice cover remains up to 210 days a year. The rivers open up in May.

Hydro resources

On the Niva, Kovda, Voronya there are hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs built. In contrast to the flat southern rivers, in the northern rivers, due to cooling of the water, bottom ice forms on the rapids during the cold season.

The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are conditionally divided into four groups:

• semi-plain (Varzuga, Ponoy, Strelna);
• canal rivers (Varzina, Niva, Kolvitsa);
• lake type (Umba, Drozdovka, Rynda);
• mountain type (Kuna, Malaya Belaya).

Fishing

The Kola Peninsula today is one of the most interesting places for true connoisseurs of trout and salmon fishing. It is well known all over the world as the best place for catching "noble fish". Conventionally, fishermen divide the rivers of the peninsula into those that flow into the cold Barents Sea, and those that carry their waters to the White.

Fishing on the Kola Peninsula is a pleasure not only for beginners, but also for lovers of this activity with experience. In July, a large number of not very large salmon, “tindy”, enters the rivers of the peninsula, and the August herds contain medium-sized salmon.

This harsh region left its mark on the inhabitants of the reservoirs. In many rivers there is no grayling, here it is replaced by arctic char and whitefish.

River trout here grows to a very solid five- and sometimes even seven-kilogram sizes, and trout does not exceed 2 kilograms.

The most famous rivers that attract fishermen from all over the country and from abroad to the Kola Peninsula (Russia), related to the northern coast, are Yokanga, Kola, Rynda, Kharlovka, Varzina, Vostochnaya Litsa. It is here that the best fishing on the Kola Peninsula is organized by the savage.

Kharlovka river

This amazing river is well known to experienced salmon fishers. In addition, travelers who appreciate the extraordinary northern nature often come here. They are attracted by a beautiful waterfall. Huge masses of water can lead to indescribable delight of a person who has seen this amazing sight at least once.

Kharlovka is known for especially large salmon and no less large trout. True, fish can pass through the waterfall streams only with the proper water level in the river. Sometimes anglers give up fishing and watch as the salmon tries to overcome this obstacle. In the white water foam, the fish jumps out of the water. At the top of the waterfall there is a natural slab from which you can capture this process on film. Residents of the Kola Peninsula have not been surprised for a long time by the unique shots in which a huge fish seems to be flying into the camera lens.

Fishing is excellent in Kharlovka, which is why not only “savage” fishermen come here, but also high-quality organized tours are organized.

Bell

This river attracts with a combination of excellent fishing and natural beauty. Three large multi-stage waterfalls, a huge amount of trout and salmon make this place extremely attractive.

Fishing on the Kola Peninsula on the Rynda River has many fans. Some of them have been coming to these places for fishing tours for 17-18 years.

Tersky coast

The rivers that are located on the southern Tersky coast are very popular among a wide range of anglers around the world.

This is the magnificent river Umba, and the rapids and wide Varzuga with tributaries, Kitsa and Pana, inhabited by numerous salmon herds, and the famous Terek rivers Strelna, Chapoma, Chavanga, Pyalitsa.

It should be noted that the rivers of the Tersky coast are distinguished by a very wide list of living fish. Shoals of pink salmon, salmon, and sea trout enter them for spawning.

Brook trout, brown trout, grayling, and whitefish constantly live in these rivers.

Of the carp species, roach and ide are found. And predators are represented by perch, pike, burbot.

1. General characteristics of the Kola Peninsula

1.1. Geographical position

The Kola Peninsula is located in the extreme northwest of Russia. Its area is 89 thousand square meters. km. The eastern, peninsular part is separated from the western by a deep depression, elongated in the meridional direction from the Kandalaksha to the Kola Bay across the Niva River, a system of lakes, including the Imandra Lake, the largest in northern Europe, and the Kola River valley. From the north and northeast, the Kola Peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea, from the east and southeast by the White Sea and one of its bays, Kandalaksha. The coast of the Barents Sea from the western border to Cape Svyatoy Nos is called the Murmansk coast. Part of the coast from Cape Svyatoy Nos to the mouth of the Varzuga River is called the Tersky coast, from Varzuga to Kandalaksha - Kandalaksha and from Kandalaksha to Kemi - Karelsky coast (A.A. Kiselev, A.V. Shevchenko, 1996).

The Kola Peninsula borders Finland and Norway in the west and northwest, and Karelia in the south. The length of the Russian-Finnish border within the peninsula is approximately 360 km, the Russian-Norwegian - 196 km.

The westernmost point of the peninsula is located near the border with Finland near Lake Inari (68 56 N, 28 22 E), the most

the eastern one is on the coast of the White Sea, near the mouth of the Ponoi River (67 02 N, 41 24 E). In the north, the extreme point is located at the tip of the Rybachy Peninsula (70 N, 31 54 E), in the south - on the Tersky coast near the village of Tetrino (66 05 N, 38 18 E).

Most of the Kola Peninsula is located beyond

polar circle. In combination with other geographical factors (the influence of the non-freezing Barents Sea, the variety of relief, etc.), this determines the features of its climate, weather, landscapes, flora and fauna (G.D. Richter, 1946).

Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula has a border position, in Soviet times it was a closed territory. It did not exist in widespread use of accurate topographic maps. There are still secret protected objects on the Kola Peninsula. For example, when you are kayaking along the Umbozero, you need to go around some bays. Parking near them is prohibited. So it was in the years of Soviet power, so it is now. They say that sometimes on modern topographic maps a dense, impenetrable forest can be indicated. And if you walk along it, you can meet territories fenced with barbed wire along the way. But, apparently, such places do not reduce the importance of the Kola Peninsula. The less developed and studied this region is, the more unique places are preserved in it.

The advantage of the Kola Peninsula is that it is located not far from the central part of Russia and there are no military operations on it. This makes the area very popular with tourists. In a fairly short time, you can drive up here and make a hike, no time is wasted on acclimatization.

Sometimes the Kola Peninsula is called Lapland from the Lapps - the population that has long lived on it. Lapland, translated from the local language, is the end of the earth. They say that Lapland is a fabulous country where there is a lot of snow and where Santa Claus, polar bears and penguins live (E. Voronina, 1996).

1.2. History of territory development

The settlement of the Kola Peninsula began a very long time ago. Archaeologists have discovered sites of people of the Stone Age. They belong to 7-11 thousand BC. The ancestors of the modern Saami appeared here in 2000 BC. The Saami (Lapps) - the indigenous population of the Kola Peninsula - have been engaged in reindeer herding, hunting, and fishing since ancient times. Trade and the development of crafts in Europe required the development of new territories in order to use their natural resources. The first Russian settlements appeared on the peninsula in the 9th-11th centuries. The chronicles speak of the fabulous riches of Murman: furs, fish, deer, sea animals. In the XI century. Novgorodians on their ships have already plowed the waters

White and Barents Seas. In the X-XII centuries. Novgorodians took possession of a vast territory north from the Gulf of Finland and the Kola Peninsula to the Pechora basin (A.M. Berlyant et al., 1995). Already in the 1st half of the 12th century, the volost Tre (Tersky coast of the White Sea) was listed among the Novgorod lands, and in the 13th century the Russian villages of Varzuga and Kola were mentioned. The Russians quickly settled the coast of the peninsula, mastered the sea routes around the Tersky portage (as the Kola Peninsula was called in the annals). The appearance of Russians not only contributed to the development of the region, but also ensured the protection of the indigenous population from the raids of Western conquerors (E.A. Dvinin, 1966).

At a later time (1589-1591, 1611, several times in the 18th and early 19th centuries), Swedish and Danish troops, English pirates came to the land of Murman. They burned villages, robbed the population and monasteries, killed civilians. There is an ancient Sami legend that the Sami managed to defend their land, and the blood they shed turned into a stone eudialyte (Lapp blood). In 1854-1855, during the Crimean War, the English fleet burned Kandalaksha, Keret, Strelna, Kola, but could not capture the coast.

In the 16th-18th century, the Kola Peninsula played a prominent role in the Russian economy. But by the beginning of the 19th century, the economic development of the region slowed down due to the opening of new trade routes, despite the enormous natural wealth of the peninsula.

In the 17th century, the Saami, who used to use reindeer only for traveling and transporting goods, began to breed them. Fishing was rapidly developing on the Murmansk coast. By the end of the century, 200-250 thousand pounds of fish were caught annually. In 1803, the White Sea Company for the extraction of fish and sea animals was formed. By the middle of the 19th century, up to 500 Pomeranian ships began to come to Murman annually, which caught more than 400 thousand pounds of fish.

At the same time, about 5 thousand people lived on the Kola Peninsula by the beginning of the 19th century, and about 9 thousand people at its end.

The central regions of the Kola Peninsula were not known for an unusually long time. Ancient maps incorrectly depicted a reservoir stretching from northwest to southeast south of the Kola Peninsula, connected by a river to the White Sea. On the map of N. Piscator (1633), the Kandalaksha Bay takes on a shape close to modern, and there is no lake Imandra at all. It is not on the English, Dutch and French maps of the late 17th and 18th centuries either. Foreign travelers rarely visited Kandalaksha, and they were not at all in the interior of the peninsula. In the summer of 1840, the route of A.F. crossed the middle part of the Kola Peninsula. Mendeldorf. The map of his route from Kola to Kandalaksha turned out to be a fairly accurate depiction of the Imandra basin (B.I. Koshechkin, 1979).

An in-depth geographical study of the Kola Peninsula began only in the second half of the 19th century by the expeditions of N. Kudryavtsev (1881) and S. Rabo (1884), Finnish scientists A. Chilman, V. Ramsay and A. Petrelius (1887-1889). The topographer of the Finnish expedition A. Petrelius was the first to make a semi-instrumental survey of the Imandra basin. The geologist N.V. Kudryavtsev, along with geological observations, made sketches, collected interesting materials on the topography and toponymy of the area (AM Berlyant et al., 1995).

Before the 1917 revolution the natural resources of the Kola Peninsula were hardly used. There was no industry (3 small sawmills). The population was hardly engaged in agriculture. Communication routes before the construction of the Murmansk railway (1915-1916) were poorly developed. The population was engaged in artisanal fishing (cod, herring, salmon), hunting, reindeer herding, hunting for fur-bearing animals. Coastal fishing for cod, haddock, and halibut has long been developed on the Murmansk coast in the summer. Already in the 18th century, up to 10 thousand fishermen came here from the shores of the White Sea. Despite the primitive technique, the catches were quite high compared to the White Sea. However, the exceptionally harsh exploitation of the Pomors by fists and merchants led to the decline of the industries. The number of fishermen who come for seasonal fishing decreased at the beginning of the 20th century to 1.5-5 thousand people. Fish catches have systematically decreased and only since the 1980s. 19th century to 1913 decreased by more than 2 times. The Kola Peninsula at that time was the Aleksandrovsky district of the Arkhangelsk region (E.A. Dvinin, 1966).

Already during the period of the first imperialist war, the importance of the ice-free Kola Bay for Russia's foreign relations became clear. In 1.5 years, a new railway was built, stretching for 1.3 thousand km. from the Zvanka station (Volkhovstroy) to the newly founded seaport on the Barents Sea Romanov (Murmansk). Although through traffic was opened along the road in 1916, its completion was carried out after 1917. The administration of the Murmansk road was given broad powers to exploit the natural resources of the strip adjacent to the road, in connection with which the exploitation of forest resources was launched. In the spring of 1920, a special government commission arrived on the Kola Peninsula. Academician A.E. Fersman. He made a short excursion to the western slopes of the Khibiny Mountains and found rare alkaline minerals on them, unknown in other parts of the country. The subsequent expedition of A.E. Fersman discovered a characteristic feature of the Khibiny massif - large cirques, heavily dissected summit plateaus and the presence of numerous gorges. She discovered apatite deposits of world importance and a number of deposits of rare minerals, laying the foundation for the industrial development of the Khibiny storeroom of underground treasures. At first, apatite was taken by reindeer sled to the railway station and sent abroad, to the laboratory, since this mineral had not been used anywhere before. Six months later, foreign ships began to come to Murmansk for apatite. So its production became profitable (V.I. Magidovich, I.P. Magidovich, 1986).

In 1925 G.D. Richter made an accurate map of the Kola Peninsula. Three years later, he checked it for accuracy by joining the geological team of A.A. Grigoriev. In July - August they traced the Keiva ridge. The detachment established that the Keivy is a pronounced strip of hills (up to 397 m), which has the character of wide plateaus or domed hills. The caves are the watershed of the Ponoi and Iokanga basins.

Even before the war, iron ore deposits were discovered - Olenegorskoye and Kovdorskoye. Mining and processing plants for the production of iron ore concentrates were created near these deposits. On the basis of Kola ores and Pechora coking coal in the 60s, the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant gained capacity, turning the Northern Economic Region into a new metallurgical base of inter-district significance.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Kola Peninsula was in the front line (1941-44). The Nazis caused great damage to the national economy. Air bombardments destroyed about half of the housing stock. Industrial production fell to 40.5% compared to 1940. The restoration of the national economy to the pre-war level ended in 1948. (under the editorship of A.V. Darinsky, 1992).

Topographic and geological work carried out after the end of the war made some changes to the map of the Kola Peninsula. The height of the Keiva hill turned out to be 20 meters lower, and that of the Khibiny massif, 50 meters lower. In 1957 V.F. Petrov proved the existence of glaciation in the Khibiny mountains. He discovered the first firn glacier on one of the peaks. A year later, he discovered two more of the same glaciers, including on Mount Chasnochorr, the highest point of the Khibiny (V.I. Magidovich, I.P. Magidovich, 1986).

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The Kola Peninsula is a tasty morsel for tourists. Its main asset is the Khibiny mountain range, rapids and pristine nature. These places are famous for excellent fishing. Skiers come here in winter. The peninsula is very large - it occupies 70% of the Murmansk region.

In the Far North

The Kola Peninsula is located in the Far North of Russia. Administratively, it is the territory of the Murmansk region. On the M-18 "Kola" highway, almost at the border of Karelia and the Murmansk region, there is a sign "Polar Circle". This means that the year here is divided into a polar day, when the sun is in the sky around the clock, and a polar night, when the moon replaces the daylight for a long time. In these places it is quite possible to see the northern lights.

The territory of the peninsula is 100 thousand sq. km. Such fairly large countries as Guatemala, Bulgaria or South Korea have a similar area. Its western border runs exactly along the depression that stretches along the Kola River from the Kola Bay in the north to the Kandalaksha Bay in the south. The Kola highway also passes here. Mountains rise in the western part of the peninsula, tundra reigns in the north, and impenetrable taiga prevails in the south.

The climate in the regions of the Far North is not sugar. In the northwestern part, the "breath" of the Gulf Stream is felt, so it is a little warmer here. If the average winter temperature in these places fluctuates around -8 degrees, then in other parts of the peninsula it drops to -14 degrees. The average temperature in July, depending on the area, ranges from +8 to +14 degrees.

In winter, strong winds blow, which often turn into long blizzards. The wind speed can reach 60 meters per second! Snow lies from mid-October to mid-May, and in the mountains - until the summer. An unexpected surprise can be a summer snowfall. True, the snow melts quickly. Frosts are hard to bear due to high humidity. It turns out that the best time for hiking and rafting is in the middle of summer, but the ski season on the peninsula is much longer.

Promised land

Despite the harsh conditions, the territory of the Kola Peninsula has been inhabited since ancient times. It is difficult to understand what attracted people here, but they lived here 9 thousand years ago! Archaeologists call this period the Arctic Paleolithic. Moreover, people in different historical periods came to these uncomfortable places from Scandinavia, from the Volga and even from the Northern Urals and Siberia! Due to the mixing of representatives of the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races, Lapps or Saami were formed. They began to be considered the indigenous inhabitants of the peninsula.

Civilization in these places was brought by Novgorod merchants, who regularly sent expeditions to the North for furs, seal oil and fish. In 1216, the power of Novgorod Rus was established on the Kola Peninsula. Saami imposed a tribute. They had a hard time, because the Norwegians, who claimed these lands, did the same. In the Middle Ages, the Moscow principality was established here.

Photo: This is what the drilling rig looked like at the Kola Superdeep Well

In recent history, the Kola Peninsula has become a center of fishing and salt production. It is curious that local monasteries were engaged in the production of salt. Silver and copper mines appeared. A little later, numerous sawmills began to work. In the last century, geologists have discovered several large mineral deposits, and the region has become a center of the mining industry. It was here that the Kola super-deep well was drilled, which has no analogues in the world. Its depth was 12,262 m.

Kola pantry

From the north, the peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea, and from the east - by the White. On the south side, it is separated from the mainland by a narrow, long Kandalaksha Bay. A lot of small lakes of irregular ragged shape are scattered throughout the territory. There are so many of them that they look like blue ripples on the map. According to the elongated shape, oriented from the northeast to the southwest, it can be concluded that all of them are the product of the glacier activity in the distant past.

The largest lake is Imandra. It is so elongated that it looks like a wide river with a lot of channels. Its length reaches 120 km with an average width of 14 km! About 140 islands rise above the water surface - an enchanting sight. Next in size is Umbozero. It is about half the size of Imandra and is surrounded by mountains on all sides. From here came its Sami name "Umpyavr", which means "closed lake". The trio of giants is completed by Lovozero. In the west, it is limited by a mountain range called the Lovozero Tundra.

But this northern region is rich not only in lakes. There are many rivers here, the largest of which is the Ponoy. For unknown reasons, the Sami called it the "Dog River" - this is how the word "ponoy" is translated into Russian. Its length reaches 426 km! This is a lot even on the scale of such a gigantic country as Russia. The source of the river is located on the Keiva upland with an elevation of about 400 m, and it flows into the White Sea. In the lower reaches, the river flows through the canyon. There are thresholds. The most difficult is Log.

Large water arteries also include the Kola, Umba, Varzuga, Voronya, Yokanga and Teriberka rivers. The name "Cola" has nothing to do with the carbonated drink. It comes from the Sami word "koljok" - "golden river". The Russians changed it to Kola. She, too, has a cheeky personality. Umba is famous for its large stocks of salmon. On Varzuga there is a large threshold "Padun" and three waterfalls. There are two large reservoirs on the Voronya River at once, and along the banks there is a deposit of gray jasper. There are two more reservoirs on the Teriberka River.

In the western part of the peninsula, there are two large mountain ranges - the Khibiny and the Lovozero tundra. It cannot be said that the mountains here are high - the maximum marks of the peaks, in general, do not exceed thousands of meters. But they are very picturesque, thanks to the calm smooth wavy forms and rich vegetation on the slopes. Mount Chasnachorr (1191 m) is considered the highest point of the Khibiny. In the east of the peninsula, the heights are even less. The Keiva ridge reaches 397 m. The rest of the peaks are below 200 m.

Rocks on the Kola Peninsula are very diverse. This is a real open-air geological museum. There are gneisses, granites, quartzites, sandstones, marbles and other rocks. The mineralogical pantry is even richer. One third of all minerals known on Earth are found on the peninsula! No less impressive is the list of mined minerals - apatite-nepheline, amethysts, garnets, jaspers, rare earth metals, micas ...

Fauna and flora

Lapland is usually associated with northern Finland. It is there that the Finnish Santa Claus lives with the unpronounceable name Joulupukki. However, a piece of Lapland is also in Russia. It is located near the Arctic Circle. Coniferous forests and tundra, overgrown with lichens and dwarf birch, reign here.

As befits Lapland, wild reindeer are found here. At the beginning of the last century, the population of these animals declined catastrophically. It was only 95 individuals. Now the number of deer in the Murmansk region has already reached 22 thousand! In addition to deer in the tundra and forests, you can meet bears, foxes, minks, martens - the list of mammals can be continued. In addition, there are about 200 species of birds. Golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon and osprey are considered rare and are listed in the Red Book.

The abundance of water and swamps has attracted many waterfowl to these parts since time immemorial. Eiders, a rare species of sea ducks, settled on the sea coast. These birds spend most of their lives on the water, feeding on mollusks and crustaceans. In search of food, they are able to dive to a depth of 20 m! Eiders come ashore only to rest and produce offspring. Here birds do not disdain insects and earthworms.

Local lakes and rivers are rich in fish. There is such a "delicacy" as brown trout - lake trout. There is char, whitefish, grayling - you can't list them all. In the sea on the coastal islands, you can see seals and sea hares. In winter, seals have babies, and the islands turn into open-air nurseries. Near the shore there are flocks of dolphins and even single whales!

Centers of civilization

Murmansk is the largest city on the Kola Peninsula. Few people know that before the revolution it was called Romanov-on-Murman. Until now, it is the largest city in the world, located above the Arctic Circle. It is also the largest Russian port. The city is quite young in age - it appeared on the maps in 1916.

Next in terms of population is the city of Apatity. He also appeared at the beginning of the last century and at first bore the name Bely. This was due to the fact that it was founded on the banks of the Belaya River. Today it is the fifth largest city in the world above the Arctic Circle. The reason for its birth was the discovery of the largest deposit of apatite-nepheline ores. The beneficiation plant became the locomotive of the city's economy.

Severomorsk is slightly behind Apatit in terms of the number of inhabitants. But today it is the main naval base of the Russian Northern Fleet. It was founded in 1896, and until 1951 the settlement was named Vaenga. The locals fished and hunted. The military came to a convenient bay in 1934. By the way, singer Elena Vaenga is from Severomorsk.

Of the cities, it is also worth mentioning Kirovsk, which has recently become a popular Russian ski center. Like Apatity, it appeared due to the discovery of a deposit of nepheline ores. A mine and a processing plant were built here. Currently, there are three ski slopes within the city. For some reason, filmmakers fell in love with Kirovsk very much - 28 films were shot in the city, including Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka and Leviathan. It was even nicknamed Polar Hollywood.

Saami territory

The indigenous people of the Kola Peninsula are the Saami. Over the past hundred years, their numbers have not changed much - there are about 1900 of them. Representatives of this small nation also live in Norway, Sweden and Finland. In total, there are about 80 thousand Saami in the world. In Russia, they are often called Lapps. Earlier in the passports in the column "nationality" they wrote - "Lapp".

Traditionally, the Saami, like other Russian northern peoples, were engaged in reindeer herding. Coastal dwellers fished. Hunting flourished, fortunately, local forests and tundra are rich in game. Now the Russian Sami capital is the village of Lovozero. It is home to about 400 Sami families. Traditional holidays are celebrated in the village, there is a museum where you can get acquainted with the history and traditions of this people. Today, the Sámi still breed reindeer, hunt, fish and collect cloudberries.

Only here

Local man-made sights include the bridge across the Kola Bay and the Lenin nuclear icebreaker, which is permanently moored in Murmansk. The “Snow Village”, which is recreated every winter, has entered the Russian book of records and is an unusual building with halls, tunnels, furniture and sculptures built of snow and ice.

Not far from Kandalaksha is the stone labyrinth "Babylon" - one of the mysterious structures of ancient times. Near the mouth of the Varzuga River there is Cape Ship, in the vicinity of which the Kuzomen desert is located. Waterfall Beautiful in Khibiny fully justifies its name. Murmansk has a good aquarium.

Of the exotic entertainment, it is worth noting diving in the Barents Sea. Despite its extreme northern location, the underwater world is quite rich. Against the backdrop of sheer cliffs, you can see scallops, crabs, luxurious anemones and the dream of divers - the remains of sunken ships. You won't be bored on the Kola Peninsula.

But the most striking, in the truest sense of the word, natural attraction can be considered the northern lights. The night sky is filled with blazing ribbons, arcs and spirals. They can be red, yellow, blue and green. It's hard to believe that this light show is being played a thousand kilometers above the planet! In spring and autumn, natural fireworks occur more often than in winter and summer.

The aurora borealis is so rare and colorful that it is used to attract tourists. Special tours are offered on the Kola Peninsula. True, it is desirable to be lucky. After all, to see the radiance, you need a flash of solar activity and cloudless weather. Those who wish are offered to live for several days in tents with a transparent ceiling. In this case, the probability of not missing a rare sight is significantly increased.

Our tourist club offers the following hiking programs:

• Combined routes on the lakes and mountains of the Kola Peninsula

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The Kola Peninsula is located in the northwest of the European part of Russia. It is washed by the Barents and White Seas. It has an area of ​​about 100,000 sq. km. Part of the Murmansk region.
Relief. The Kola Peninsula is located on the northeastern tip of the Baltic crystalline shield, composed mainly of the most ancient igneous rocks - granites, gneisses. The relief of the peninsula is due to numerous faults and cracks in the crystalline shield, and also bears traces of the impact of glaciers.
According to the nature of the relief, the peninsula can be divided into western and eastern parts. The border between them passes through the valley of the Voronya River (in connection with the creation of the cascade of the Serebryansky HPPs, the Voronya River turned into a reservoir for a significant length), Lovozero, Umbozero and the valley of the Umba River. The relief of the eastern part is less complex than the western part: a deep meridional depression passes through the latter, occupied by the valleys of the Kola and Niva rivers and Lake Imandra. In the north of the western part, a high plateau (up to 250 m) abruptly breaks off towards the Barents Sea, forming rocky shores up to 100 m high, indented with fiords.
To the south-west of the Murmansk coastal plateau lies the wide Tulomo-Notozero depression with the basins of the Lotta, Tuloma and Notozero rivers, into which the large river Nota flows.
To the south of the Tulomo-Notozero depression is the Central mountainous region, located between the state border of the USSR and Lovozero. River valleys and lakes divide this range into separate massifs - tundra. Here Roslim and Tuadash stand out for their height. Greasy, Chuna, Monche, Wolf, Khibiny and Lovozero Tundras.
The mountains of the Kola Peninsula most often have a table-like shape - high flat plateaus abruptly break off to the lowlands surrounding them. The plateau is dissected by deep valleys and gorges. The surface of the plateau is covered with bare stone placers and rock fragments. The glacier that once covered the peninsula has flattened the mountains and left boulders and moraines blocking some valleys. Many valleys end in large circuses and caravans with sheer walls several hundred meters high. The eroding activity of water also had a great influence on the formation of the relief: rivers carry away a lot of detrital material and form powerful deltas at their mouths. Large rivers that formed before the glaciation flow in U-shaped valleys developed by the glacier, while small ones that appeared after the glaciation flow in narrow canyon-like valleys.
To the south of the mountainous region is the Southern Lake Lowland, which extends from the border with Finland to the middle reaches of the Umba and is occupied by vast swamps, numerous lakes, elevations up to 500 m. in the south-west - the heights of Rikolatva and Kelesuive, the Kandalaksha (600 m) and Kolvitsky (780 m) mountains, adjacent to the Kandalaksha coast and falling steeply to the White Sea. A significant part of the lowland is occupied by the Pirenga river basin, which consists of lakes connected by short channels.
The eastern region of the Kola Peninsula according to the relief can be divided into northern, central and southern parts. The northern part is occupied by a plateau, abruptly breaking off to the Barents Sea and the throat of the White Sea. The plateau is crossed by gorges, but through which the rivers Kharlovka, Iokanga, Vostochnaya Litsa, and the lower reaches of the Ponoi flow. To the south, the plateau gradually rises to 300 m and abruptly breaks off to the central marshy lowland. This region is called the Keiva Ridge. To the south of Keiva, in the center of the eastern region, there is the Central Bog Plain, which occupies the upper and middle reaches of the Ponoi, the upper reaches of the Varzuga and Strelna. The southern part is a plain, smoothly (and in some places in the form of terraces) falling to the shores of the White Sea. The plain is occupied by the basins of the lower reaches of the rivers Varzuga, Strelna, Chapoma, Chavanga.
Climate. The climate of the Kola Peninsula differs from the climate of other northern and polar regions of our country. The North Cape branch of the Gulf Stream, which invades from the northwest, brings heat with it, due to which it is warmer on the northern coast of the peninsula in winter than in the middle zone of the European part of Russia.
Three climatic zones can be distinguished within the Kola Peninsula: the sea coast, the central region and the Mountainous part. The climate of the northern sea coast is determined by the influence of the Barents Sea. The average air temperature of the coldest month (February) ranges from -6 -12, the warmest (July) +12 +13. In the regions of the central region, the climate is continental, with relatively warm summers and stable winters. From the coast to the interior of the continent, the average annual temperatures decrease. The most continental points in terms of climate are Yena and Krasnoshelye. The average January temperature in Jena is -14.3, in Krasnoshchelye -13.7. Especially low temperatures (up to -50) in the upper reaches of the Ponoy River. The mountainous region has colder summers, relatively mild winters, and a lot of precipitation. The maximum average monthly temperature (July) is +10°, the minimum (January) is -13.
The temperature on Kola is subject to frequent changes: thaws are possible in any winter months, and frosts are possible in summer due to the collision of cold air masses with warm air currents. The peninsula belongs to the areas of excessive humidity (about 80%). The least amount of precipitation falls in the north (up to 400 mm), the most - in mountainous regions (up to 1000 mm).
Most of the peninsula lies north of the Arctic Circle, so the sun does not set here for a month and a half in summer, and in winter there is a polar night. Spring is late. Snow melts in late May - early June, at the same time the lakes open up.
Summer comes stormily and quickly, its arrival coincides with the establishment of the polar day. At the end of June, flowers bloom, young foliage appears on the trees, night frosts stop (sometimes there are several cold nights during the summer). In mountainous areas, spring and summer are delayed for some time; when in the lowlands all the trees are already green, buds are just swelling there. The polar summer lasts 2.5 - 3 months: from mid-June to late August - early September. During this short time, the diverse and rich vegetation cover of the mountains and plains comes to life. In summer, the weather in the mountains, where rain and fog are frequent, is especially changeable. Most of the precipitation in the mountains falls in the summer.
Autumn comes in late August - early September. In the last week of August, the trees turn yellow, more and more night frosts. Snow falls at the end of September, and in the mountains even earlier. However, a stable snow cover falls only by the first decade of November. The air temperature drops rapidly at the end of September. In September, sometimes in August it is already possible
watch the northern lights.
The rivers freeze in the middle or end of November, small lakes are covered with ice a little earlier. Only in the rapids areas freeze-up is delayed by 1.5 - 2 months, and powerful rapids do not freeze all winter. The thickness of ice on rivers and lakes is 70 - 110 cm. The snow cover is uneven and depends mainly on the terrain and prevailing winds.
November is already a winter month, when severe frosts are possible. The day is significantly reduced, the whole of December and the beginning of January the sun is not shown.
In March and April, the weather becomes stable, the snow is covered with a strong crust, the air temperature, especially in Jurassic. rises (in Khibiny, for example, the average temperature in March is -9, April -2). In the evening and at night, however, it is possible to lower the temperature to -30 and below.
In the mountain valleys of the Kola Peninsula, snow lasts from late October to May. At this time, there is a danger of snow avalanches, which increases with winds, snowstorms, thaws, and snowfalls.
Rivers and lakes. There are 18,209 rivers over 100 m long and 111,609 lakes on the Kola Peninsula. The lakes are mostly shallow, of glacial origin. Large lakes - Imandra, Umbozero and Lovozero - are of tectonic origin, lie in deep basins, have an elongated shape and a complex coastline.
The rivers are divided into four main groups: semi-plain (Ponoy, Varzuga, Strelna), canal rivers (Niva, Varzina, Kolvitsa), lake type (most of them, for example, Vostochnaya Litsa, Rynda, Umba, Drozdovka), mountain type (Malaya Belaya) .
The river beds are composed of rocks combined with boulders, pebbles, and sometimes sand. Outcrops of solid crystalline rocks or large stones washed out of glacial deposits form rapids and waterfalls.
In the east of the peninsula, the rivers are located radially. They originate on the heights of the central part and have a significant slope in the upper reaches; in the middle course they flow along the plain; before flowing into the sea, they cut through a plateau: in these places they are stormy, rapids, the slope increases sharply.
The rivers of the central part of the peninsula - purely mountainous, with a large number of stones, fast currents and various rapids - are of little use for water travel. They quickly overflow their banks and just as quickly return to their usual level, in rainy weather it is difficult to ford them. Often rivers go into loose sediment and appear on the surface in a new place. In winter, rivers do not freeze in some areas, while in others they freeze to the bottom, forming icing: water, displaced by ice, flows over its surface, spreading wide and freezing. Sometimes a large amount of bottom ice forms, filling the channel and causing winter floods. In winter, even in small rivers, the water can rise by more than a meter. If severe frosts occur during a winter flood and a normal ice cover is established, the bottom ice gradually melts, the water returns to normal levels, and the surface ice remains hanging, settling and breaking in places. Such hummocks are frequent on the rivers of the Kola Peninsula.
The rivers of the western part of the peninsula are interesting: for the most part, these are short and turbulent channels between lakes.
The main source of nourishment for the Kola rivers is melted snow water, which makes up >60% of the annual runoff. The spring flood lasts 2-2.5 months (May - June), after which the rivers become very shallow. The water level in them depends on the summer rains. With an increase in the amount of water, some rapids become easy to pass, while others, on the contrary, become more dangerous. In dry summers, many small rivers and the upper reaches of large ones resemble a cobblestone pavement.
Vegetation. There are three zones of vegetation on the Kola Peninsula: tundra, forest-tundra and forest. The first occupies a coastal strip 30-60 km wide in the north and northeast of the peninsula. The main vegetation here is mosses, lichens, creeping varieties of dwarf birch and willow, along large rivers - woody shrubs.
The forest-tundra zone stretches in a strip from 10 to 60 km south of the tundra. Characteristic vegetation - birch crooked forest with an admixture of spruce and undersized pine, various types of shrubs, mosses. In relatively dry places, reindeer moss covers the soil and stones with a thick layer. Berries are extensive (lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries, crowberries), many mushrooms.
In the southern part of the peninsula, belonging to the forest zone, there are pine-spruce forests with an admixture of birch, aspen, mountain ash, willow, and alder. All of them are heavily swamped, so shrubs, herbaceous and moss vegetation are common in them. Especially wooded is the southwest of the Murmansk region, the basins of Umba, Varzuga, Strelna.
In mountainous areas, there is a vertical zonality of vegetation cover: up to a height of 300-400 m there is forest vegetation, heights of 400-600 m are occupied by birch crooked forests and shrubs, and above 600-650 m rare shrubs and lichens grow.
The boundaries between the zones do not have straight lines, since the distribution of vegetation depends not only on climatic conditions, but also on a number of other factors: the direction and steepness of the slope, its protection from the wind, and the degree of moisture. On the same slope, in one place the forest zone can rise very high, and in another, the tundra zone can sink almost to the bottom of the valley. Sometimes in closed basins an inversion of temperature is observed, i.e., its increase with height. In these cases, there is an inverse to the normal distribution of vegetation: at the bottom of such a basin there is a tundra, and along the slopes of the mountains there is a forest.
Animal world. Taiga and tundra animals are found on the Kola Peninsula: bear, wolf, hare, marten, fox, squirrel, elk, reindeer, wolverine, arctic fox, lemming-pied. Muskrat and mink have been acclimatized, beavers have been released. Seals, seals, bearded seals and other marine animals live in the waters of the White and Barents Seas. There are about 200 species of birds on the peninsula. A lot of sea birds: gulls, guillemots, guillemots, puffins. In the tundra - white and tundra partridges, in the forests - hazel grouse, capercaillie, black grouse, on the lakes - 10 species of ducks, geese, swans.
The Kola Peninsula is an area full of mosquitoes, midges, gadflies, which disappear at the end of August.
The seas washing the peninsula, lakes and rivers of the Kola are rich in fish. There are more than 110 species of fish in the Barents Sea, of which 22 are commercial (cod, haddock, sea bass, saithe, herring, flounder, etc.). There are sharks in the sea, pike, perch, grayling, whitefish, char, vendace, salmon, and trout in rivers and lakes.

Determination of HPP parameters

Pressure diagram

Knowing the throughput of all units, it is possible to determine the flow rate through 1 unit:

Q 1agr \u003d Q hydroelectric power station / n \u003d 120/3 \u003d 40 m 3 / s.

Based on the given flow rates and throughput capacity of the units, we will determine the minimum and design heads of the HPP and build a head diagram (Appendix No. 2).

To do this, according to the curve of the relationship between flow rates and water levels (Appendix No. 1), we determine the water marks in the NB:

Relative h Qmax = 113.9 m;

Relative h Qmin = 108.7 m;

Otm h Q HPS = 109.3 m;

otm h Q 1agr = otm h Qmin = 108.7 m.

Knowing the levels of FSL and ULV, we determine the necessary pressures of the HPP:

Maximum head: H max = otm NPU - otm h 1gr = 188 - 108.7 = 79.3 m;

Minimum head: H min \u003d otm ULV - otm h Q HPS \u003d 182 - 109.3 \u003d 72.7 m.

Estimated head: H p = otm NPU - 1/3 * (otm NPU - otm ULV) - otm h 1gr = 188 - 1/3 * (188 - 182) - 108.7 = 77.3 m.

Selecting the type of hydro turbine

The choice of the turbine is made according to the maximum pressure and power of the HPP. According to table 1.1, we select the appropriate types of turbines. Thus, for a head H max = 79.3 m, we select the RO115 hydraulic turbine, the universal characteristic of which is presented in Appendix No. 3.

The climate of the Murmansk region is unique and differs from the climate of other regions of the country that lie at the same geographical latitude. What is this originality?

The Kola Peninsula is located beyond the Arctic Circle and receives much less heat and light from the sun than other, non-polar regions. In winter, the sun does not appear above the horizon at all, and a long polar night hangs over the Kola tundra. But in the summer, as if catching up, the sun walks across the sky around the clock, generously giving away warmth. In connection with such features, the polar seasons do not coincide with the generally accepted calendar seasons.

The polar winter unceremoniously took away March from spring and November from autumn.

It would seem that in the region, which does not know the warmth of the sun all winter, severe cold should reign, frosts at 40-50 degrees. However, it is not. In winter, it is relatively warm in the Murmansk region, but it happens that in January there is a thaw, the drops ring.

This "miracle" of northern nature is explained by the proximity of the warm sea current Gulf Stream, its jets penetrating into the Barents Sea.

Of great importance for the climate are the movements of air masses, on which temperature fluctuations, the formation of clouds and precipitation depend.

The latitudes of the Murmansk region are characterized by atmospheric eddies in the form of cyclones and anticyclones. The movement of air masses in this case occurs in spaces from several hundred to a thousand or more kilometers, and sometimes extends vertically over 10 kilometers. What is the difference between a cyclone and an anticyclone?

In a cyclone, the lowest atmospheric pressure is observed at the center of the vortex. The air currents of the cyclone, rotating counterclockwise, rush to the center and go up here. The rising air cools, and the water vapor it contains forms clouds, from which rain or snow falls. Cyclones usually bring cloudy, warm winter and cool summer weather, with precipitation and strong winds.

In an anticyclone, the movement of air flows from the center, where the atmospheric pressure is highest. Anticyclones cause a decrease in cloudiness, a cessation of precipitation, a weakening of the wind, an increase in temperature in summer and a decrease in it in winter.

Cyclones and anticyclones repeat, replace each other many times, obeying their own laws.

The peculiarity of the climate of the Murmansk region is also due to its geographical position on the border between the sea in the north and the mainland in the south. The coast and the continental part of the Kola Peninsula are very different in climate, and the frequent change in wind direction from land to sea and vice versa causes sudden changes in weather.

In the areas of the Kola Bay and the Murmansk coast, the climate is formed mainly under the influence of the relatively warm Barents Sea. There is high humidity, frequent fogs, clouds, storms.

In the central regions of the Kola Peninsula, the climate is continental, and in the Khibiny and Lovozero mountain ranges, located above 500 meters above the surrounding area, it is influenced by high layers of the atmosphere.

On the Tersky and Kandalaksha coasts of the White Sea, which freezes in winter, the climate differs from the climate of the Murmansk coast in colder winters and springs, and fewer storms. In the direction to the east of Kandalaksha, the humidity of the air increases, and the climate becomes more and more severe.

What are the characteristic features of climatic phenomena on the Kola Peninsula?

Atmosphere pressure. On the territory of the Murmansk region, atmospheric pressure is subject to large fluctuations. In winter, it decreases over the northern seas, and rises on the mainland. In summer, the opposite occurs.

Even more significant fluctuations in atmospheric pressure are caused by the passage of cyclones, especially in winter. The difference between the highest and lowest atmospheric pressure is 50-60 millimeters of mercury. In summer, this value does not exceed 40 millimeters. Daily fluctuations in pressure in winter can reach 30 millimeters, in summer - no more than 15 millimeters of mercury. On average, atmospheric pressure fluctuations in the Murmansk region are higher than in other regions of the European part of the USSR.

Wind. Monsoons prevail on the Kola Peninsula, that is, winds that change their direction to the opposite depending on the season. In winter, autumn and early spring, south and southwest winds are most frequent, in summer - north and northeast.

The monsoon wind regime is most clearly observed on the Murmansk coast, where in winter 65-80 percent of all winds blow from the south and south-west, and in June and August half of the winds are from the north. On the Tersky coast, such a change in the prevailing winds is less pronounced, and in the Kandalaksha Bay, for example, southeasterly winds dominate almost all year round.

Frequent cyclones over the Kola Peninsula are the cause of a large number of storms. On the Murmansk coast, there are up to 80, on capes and islands, up to 120 storm days a year, when the wind strength exceeds seven points. On the Tersky coast, this number decreases to 50-30, and in areas far from the sea, to 30-15. It is characteristic that the number of stormy days on the coasts and in mountainous regions increases in winter and decreases in summer. In winter, in the Kola Bay and mountainous areas, the wind force often reaches 12 points. In summer, such hurricanes happen here no more than once in 10 years.

Air temperature. The Kola Peninsula, like other areas with a maritime climate, is characterized by relatively warm winters and cool summers. In winter, the Murmansk region receives a lot of heat from the Barents and partly from the White Seas, but in summer these seas, on the contrary, significantly cool the air.

The highest average monthly temperature in most areas of the Murmansk region is observed in July. This is the warmest month on the Kola Peninsula, although not throughout its entire territory. On the Tersky coast and in the east of the Murmansk coast, the highest average temperature (plus 10 °) occurs in August.

In autumn, starting from the end of August, the temperature drops. In the second half of October, and on the coasts in early November, the temperature passes through 0 °, and a long winter begins.

The coldest month in most areas of the Murmansk region is January, and in its east it is February. The warmest winter is on the Murmansk and Terek coasts. Here, even in January and February, the average temperature does not fall below -10 °. As the distance from the sea deep into the Kola Peninsula, winter becomes colder. There, for three to three and a half months, the temperature is below -10 °.

Starting from April, the average temperature rises rapidly and in the second half of this month passes through 0°. However, in any of the seasons of the year, especially in winter, the air temperature in the Murmansk region undergoes significant changes, which are caused by the influx of either warm or cold air masses.

In any of the winter months, thaws are possible. They are most often in November and March, less often in January and February. The highest temperature in November and March does not exceed +9°, and in the remaining months of winter - +4, +6°.

From the second half of April, the maximum temperature can reach up to 16 degrees, and from May to September, hot days with temperatures of +20 degrees and above are also possible. True, in May and September the heat is very rare, on average one or two days in 10 years. But in June, July and August, such days are observed annually, with the highest temperature reaching +32°. True, the number of hot days in the Arctic is very small and warm weather in summer is often replaced by sharp cold snaps. In autumn in October, the maximum temperature, even on the warmest days, does not exceed 12-14°C,

The minimum temperature on the Kola Peninsula also depends on the relief of the Murmansk region. The lowest temperatures are observed in the lowlands remote from the coast. In winter, severe frosts are possible up to -40 ° and below, but they happen very rarely, in the coldest winters. On the coast, the lowest temperature ranges from -27° in the west to 33° in the east.

In May, when the polar day begins, the minimum temperatures in the western regions of the region do not fall below -15°, and in the eastern regions below -18°.

In summer, frosts are possible in any of the months, but most often they occur in June.

The temperature regime of the mountainous (regions of the Murmansk region) is somewhat peculiar. In the mountains at an altitude of more than 500 meters in winter, the average monthly temperature is almost the same as in the valleys, but in other seasons, and especially in late spring - early summer, in the mountains by 3-4 degrees colder than in the lowlands.The average annual temperature in the mountains with height gradually decreases by about 0.4 ° for every 100 meters of elevation.Mountain regions are characterized by relatively warm and even winters and cold, unstable summers.

Air humidity. Evaporation from numerous lakes and swamps, the influx of water vapor from the surrounding seas cause increased air humidity on the Kola Peninsula. The absolute air humidity reaches 8-10 millibars in summer and 3-5 millibars in winter, and the relative humidity changes in the opposite order, that is, it increases in winter and decreases in summer. The lowest average annual relative humidity (75-80 percent) is observed in the western regions. To the east, it increases to 85-88 percent.

In areas far from the coast, relative humidity reaches a maximum (85-90 percent) at the beginning of winter and a minimum (64-68 percent) in June. On the Murmansk coast and in the east of the Tersky coast, the highest relative humidity is also observed at the beginning of winter - November or December. By spring, it decreases, reaching a minimum in May. In summer, when the northern and eastern winds blowing from the sea begin to prevail, the relative humidity rises again and reaches a secondary maximum in August. In September, the humidity drops again and reaches a secondary minimum in this month.

On clear summer and spring days, relative humidity experiences significant diurnal fluctuations associated with the same temperature fluctuations. During the midday hours, relative humidity can drop to 50-30 percent. But such dry days in the Murmansk region are quite rare. In cloudy weather, even in summer during the daytime, relative humidity can exceed 80 percent.

Clouds and sunshine. Frequent cyclones and high air humidity on the Kola Peninsula cause the development of significant cloudiness. The clearest sky is observed in the western regions of the region. To the east, cloudiness increases, and on the coast of the White Sea it reaches its maximum value not only for the region, but for the entire European part of the USSR.

Most clouds occur in the Murmansk region in autumn and early winter, the least - in spring and summer.

The duration of sunshine is directly dependent on the time of year and the cloudiness of the polar sky. In winter, during the polar night, of course, there is no need to talk about sunshine - the sun, being below the horizon, does not shine and does not warm.

By the beginning of spring, as the day increases and cloudiness decreases, the duration of sunshine increases and in July it reaches 280 hours, which is an average of 6-9 hours per day. coasts, where moist winds from the sea bring significant cloud cover, the average sunshine time in summer and spring is almost the same. For the central regions, the sunniest months are April, June and July.

Precipitation. The amount of precipitation, measured by the thickness of the layer in millimeters, in all areas of the Murmansk region reaches the highest value in the summer months and the lowest - at the end of winter.

In the warm summer months, during thunderstorms or prolonged heavy rains, the amount of precipitation can reach 30-40 millimeters per day. However, such cases are rare, no more than once in 10-20 years.

Usually, 1-2 millimeters of precipitation falls per day.

During the year, an average of about 400 millimeters of precipitation falls on the territory of the Murmansk region. Some increase in them, up to 460 millimeters, is observed on the Murmansk coast, where, with northern winds, so-called “charges” often occur - heavy rain or snow. Most precipitation falls in the mountainous regions of the Kola Peninsula, about twice as much as in the surrounding lowlands.

More than half of all precipitation falls on the territory of the region in the form of snow. Snow falls even in summer: almost every year in June and about once every 10 years in July and August. In spring, the number of days with rain and snow is almost the same, in autumn rain prevails. In mountainous regions above 600 meters, snow can fall every year, even during the warmest months.

A stable snow cover on the Kola Peninsula usually forms in November. During the winter, its height gradually increases and can reach 50-70 centimeters in March. In April, due to frequent daytime thaws, the snow cover thickens.

The snow finally melts in the first decade of May in the south of the region, in the second decade of May - in the north, and in the third decade - in the center of the region. In cold years, snow cover can persist until the end of June, and in some mountainous places - until autumn.

Fog, thunderstorms, ice… Fog on the territory of the Murmansk region can form at any time of the year, but on the Murmansk and Terek coasts it most often occurs in summer, when winds blow from the sea.

In the Kola Bay, the greatest number of fogs is observed in the winter months. Soaring of the bay begins in November, ends in March - April.

In the central regions, the number of foggy days in winter is 8-15 times higher than their number in summer.

Most often, fogs form in the mountainous regions of the region. If in Teriberka (coast) there are an average of 15 foggy days per year, in Murmansk - 28 and in the east (in Soskovets) - 74, then in Yukspor, in the mountains, fogs are more than 200 days in total per year.

Thunderstorms in the Murmansk region are a relatively rare occurrence and are possible only on warm summer days with high air humidity. On such days, powerful cumulus clouds form, from which short-term rains fall, accompanied by a thunderstorm. On average, in July and August there are two to three days with a thunderstorm.

In May and September, thunderstorms are very rare, no more than once or twice in ten years.

In winter, snowstorms are very frequent on the territory of the Murmansk region, when strong winds carry masses of falling or already fallen snow through the air.

Blizzards begin in October and end in May. In very rare cases, snowstorms are possible in September and June. On the Murmansk coast, blizzards are observed for 70-80 days per winter. On the Tersky coast, where strong winds are rarer, the number of such days decreases to 60-50. Blizzards occur even less frequently in the central, plain and forest regions of the Murmansk region.

In the mountains of the Kola Peninsula, frequent blizzards cause the formation of snow peaks, which, collapsing, give rise to avalanches.

Among the winter phenomena of nature is ice, which forms during rain or fog during mild frost. Most often, up to 38 days a year, ice is formed in the foothills and on the slopes of the mountains. On the Tersky coast annually there are from 12 to 24 days with ice, on the Murmansk coast ice occurs 3-5 times a year. In other areas of the Murmansk region, the number of days with ice does not exceed three. Most often, ice occurs at the beginning of winter - November and December.

Hoarfrost is most often (up to 200 times a year) formed and deposited in mountainous areas covered by clouds. Here, its deposits can reach several tens, and sometimes hundreds of centimeters, and cause breaks in communication and power lines.

Capricious weather. The Murmansk region, due to its geographical position on the border of the Arctic Ocean and the mainland, has amazing weather contrasts.

So, December 1954 on the Kola Peninsula was as warm as in the North Caucasus, and December 1955 was colder than in Novosibirsk and Tobolsk. In July 1960, the average temperature in the northwestern and western regions of the region was the same as at that time in Ukraine.

It is curious that in Kola near Murmansk, for more than twenty years, the average January temperature fluctuated from -4.4° to -21°C, and the average July temperature from +9.7 to +19.3°C.

The same contrasts were observed here in terms of precipitation. In January, monthly precipitation can range from 4 to 54 millimeters, and in July from 15 to 118 millimeters.

Long-term climate change. Long-term climate change can be judged only on the basis of long-term observations over several decades of a number of specific climatic phenomena.

Part of the meteorological stations of the Kola Peninsula, for example, Kola, operating since 1878, carried out such observations. And we can say that the average summer temperature, between 1920 and 1940, increased by almost 1.5°. From the last decade of the 19th century to the 1950s, the average autumn temperature increased by the same amount. A rather significant increase in winter temperature (by almost 2.5°C) was observed in the period from 1929 to 1939. During this time, the average annual temperature increased by more than 1°.

Recently, since 1956, there has been an increase in summer temperatures again. However, it is still difficult to judge the stability of this phenomenon.