Climate & Weather
The Mediterranean Climate
Is characterised by cool, wet winters and hot dry summers, whilst coming under the dominant influence of subtropical anti-cyclones in the Summer and experiencing strong cyclonic activity in the Winter. The seasonality and variability of the rainfall are the 2 main attributes of the Mediterranean climate. The annual rainfall can also vary markedly from year to year in some regions. The Mediterranean sea is an important source of moisture and energy for storms and the moderating influence of the ocean keeps winter temperatures mild (Aguilera, Orlandi, Oteras et al. 2015). For more information visit....
Sardinia
In particular the climate in Sardinia is very variable from area to area, due to several factors including the extension in latitude and the elevation. The island can be defined (according to the Rivas-Martinez Bioclimatic Classification System) into:
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2 major Macrobioclimates -Mediterranean Pluvi-seasonal Oceanic & Temperate Oceanic.
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1 Macrobioclimate variant - Sub-Mediterranean.
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3 classes of Continentality, from Weak Semi-Hyper Oceanic to Weak Semi-Continental.
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4 Thermodynamic horizons, from Lower Thermomediterranean to Upper Oromediterranean.
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4 Ombrotypic horizons, from Lower-Dry to Lower Hyper-Humid.
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In total, there are 43 different Iso-Bioclimates (major Microclimate types).
Macrobioclimates:
Continentality:
Thermoclimatic Belts:
Ombrotypes:
The Rivas-Martínez methodology is based on the concept of establishing a quantifiable classification system which would closely relate the distribution of vegetation to climatic parameters and indices. This method first establishes bioclimatic indices calculated from various ranges of temperature and precipitation data, compares these indices to defined thresholds, and finally applies sets of decision rules to identify the climate classes. The climate classification is hierarchical with four levels: macrobioclimates, bioclimates, thermotypes, and ombrotypes. Thermotypes, which represent thermoclimatic belts, are identified using the positive annual temperature (Tp) thresholds or the compensated thermicity index (Itc) thresholds. Ombrotypes, which represent ombroclimatic belts, are based on the ombrothermic index (Io) which is calculated as a function of both the total positive precipitation and temperature .
For further information visit the Worldwide Bioclimatic Classification System
An alternative description: 'In Sardinia the typical climate of the North Western, Western and Southern districts is 'Thermo-mediterranean Attenuated'., attenuated except in the hot and dry part of the extreme South-West where it is 'Accentuated'. In the North-East and at the middle elevations in the centre, the climate is 'Meso-mediteranean', with a 'Sub-Mediterranean island' on the highest ground' (UNESCO-FAO, 1963).
Capo Testa, (Santa Teresa Di Gallura)
From the information provided by the Bioclimatic Maps we can infer that Valle Della Luna is:
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Mediterranean Pluviseasonal (Macrobioclimate).
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Euoceanic (Continentality).
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Thermomediterranean (Thermoclimate).
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Dry/Sub-humid (Ombrotype).
So what does this mean? For those of us that are not Bioclimatologists, figures showing values for Temperature, Rainfall, Wind Speed/Gust, Humidity/Cloud, UV Index and Snowfall are provided below, in both annual (year 2017-18) and decade (2008-18) formats :
