Intense heat becomes new usual summer weather in Armenia, says meteorologist

YEREVAN, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS. The high summer heat temperatures have become a usual occurrence in Armenia, Deputy Director of the Center for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Gagik Surenyan said at a news conference.

Unlike few years ago, when very hot weather was being recorded once every 5 years, now this happens every year, he said.

“This happens almost every year, extreme heat was recorded in 2017-2018, when the 40-42 degree Celsius was maintained for 10 to 15 days in Yerevan and in the Ararat valley. Statistics show that before the 2000s, 40 degrees was recorded on an average once every 5 years, but in 2000-2010 it happened almost every year, and since 2010 the heat waves last on an average from 5 to 7 days,” Surenyan said.

On July 17, 40 degrees Celsius heat was recorded in Armenia, which was only 1 degree short of being a historic maximum (43,7 degrees, 2011, July 31).