Geography

Satellite view. View of the Svislach River and Upper Town of Minsk.

Minsk is located on the southeastern slope of the Minsk Hills, a region of rolling hills running from the southwest (upper reaches of the river Nioman) to the northeast – that is, to Lukomskaye Lake in northwestern Belarus. The average altitude above sea level is 220 metres (720 ft). The geography of Minsk was formed during the two most recent ice ages. The Svislach River, which flows across the city from the northwest to the southeast, is located in the urstromtal, an ancient river valley formed by water flowing from melting ice sheets at the end of the last Ice Age. Also within the city limits are six smaller rivers, all part of the Black Sea basin.

The city was initially developed on the hills, which allowed for defensive fortifications, and the western parts of the city are the most hilly.

Minsk is located in the area of mixed forests typical of most of Belarus. Pinewood and mixed forests border the edge of the city, especially in the north and east. Some of the forests were preserved as parks (for instance, the Chelyuskinites Park) as the city grew.

Climate

Minsk has a warm summer hemiboreal humid continental climate (Koppen Dfb), owing to its location between the strong influence of the moist air of the Atlantic Ocean and the dry air of the Eurasian landmass. Its weather is unstable and tends to change often. The average January temperature is −4.5 °C (23.9 °F), while the average July temperature is 18.5 °C (65.3 °F). The lowest temperature was recorded on 17 January 1940, at −40 °C (−40 °F) and the warmest on 29 July 1936, at 35 °C (95 °F). This results in frequent fogs, common in the autumn and spring. Minsk receives annual precipitation of 690 millimetres (27 in), of which one third falls during the cold period (as snow and rain) and two thirds in the warm period. Throughout the year, most winds are westerly and northwesterly, bringing cool and moist air from the Atlantic.

Climate data for Minsk (1981–2010) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 10.3 (50.5) 13.6 (56.5) 18.9 (66) 26.0 (78.8) 30.9 (87.6) 32.5 (90.5) 35.0 (95) 34.6 (94.3) 30.3 (86.5) 24.7 (76.5) 16.0 (60.8) 10.3 (50.5) 34.6 (94.3) Average high °C (°F) −2.1 (28.2) −1.4 (29.5) 3.8 (38.8) 12.2 (54) 18.7 (65.7) 21.5 (70.7) 23.6 (74.5) 22.8 (73) 16.7 (62.1) 10.2 (50.4) 2.9 (37.2) −1.2 (29.8) 10.6 (51.1) Daily mean °C (°F) −4.5 (23.9) −4.4 (24.1) 0.0 (32) 7.2 (45) 13.3 (55.9) 16.4 (61.5) 18.5 (65.3) 17.5 (63.5) 12.1 (53.8) 6.6 (43.9) 0.6 (33.1) −3.4 (25.9) 6.66 (43.99) Average low °C (°F) −6.7 (19.9) −7.0 (19.4) −3.3 (26.1) 2.6 (36.7) 8.1 (46.6) 11.7 (53.1) 13.8 (56.8) 12.8 (55) 8.2 (46.8) 3.6 (38.5) −1.3 (29.7) −5.5 (22.1) 3.1 (37.6) Record low °C (°F) −39.1 (−38.4) −35.1 (−31.2) −30.5 (−22.9) −18.4 (−1.1) −5.0 (23) 0.0 (32) 3.8 (38.8) 1.7 (35.1) −4.7 (23.5) −12.9 (8.8) −20.4 (−4.7) −30.6 (−23.1) −39.1 (−38.4) Precipitation mm (inches) 45 (1.77) 38 (1.5) 44 (1.73) 42 (1.65) 65 (2.56) 89 (3.5) 89 (3.5) 68 (2.68) 60 (2.36) 53 (2.09) 48 (1.89) 49 (1.93) 690 (27.17) Avg. precipitation days 11 9 11 13 18 19 18 15 18 18 17 13 180 Mean monthly sunshine hours 46.5 70.6 127.1 177.0 254.2 261.0 257.3 235.6 165.0 99.2 36.0 24.8 1,754.3 Source #1: Pogoda & Climate (UN) Source #2: HKO (sun only, 1961–1990). Ecological situation

The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Centre of Radioactive and Environmental Control (Belarusian: Рэспубліканскі цэнтр радыяцыйнага кантролю і маніторынга прыроднага асяроддзя).

During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened the ecological situation. However, the majority of overall air pollution is produced by cars. Belarusian traffic police DAI every year holds operation "Clean Air" to prevent the use of cars with extremely pollutive engines. Sometimes the maximum normative concentration of formaldehyde and ammonia in air is exceeded in Zavodski District. Other major contaminants are Chromium-VI and nitrogen dioxide. Zavodski, Partyzanski and Leninski districts, which are situated in the southeastern part of Minsk, are the most polluted areas in the city.