High-pressure area in the Urals affects winter temperatures in both Finland and China

A low-pressure area often forms over the northern part of the Ural mountains in the winter. Research has shown that the exact location of the centre strongly affects where the lowest temperatures occur.

Photo: Eija Vallinheimo

Finland and Eastern Europe are susceptible to cold winter weather if the centre of a high-pressure area is further to the northwest than usual, in the direction of the Barents Sea. As the high-pressure system moves further eastward, the strongest effects can be felt in the north of China, especially if the high-pressure area rises to at least five kilometres above the earth's surface. Such a situation involves a so-called blocking high, which traps westerly winds in a thick layer of air.

Further information:

Alexey Karpechko, Finnish Meteorological Institute, alexey.karpechko@fmi.fi

Timo Vihma, Finnish Meteorological Institute, timo.vihma@fmi.fi

Scientific article is available on Journal of Climate.

Sui, C., Karpechko, A. Yu., Vihma, T, Yu, L., and Feng, L. (2022). Influence of Ural high on air temperatures in Eastern Europe and Northern China during extended Winter. Journal of Climate, 35, 1309-1325, DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0523.1.

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