“Indian Summer” now also in other seasons: climatologist told when to expect anomalous warming

Climate change in Ukraine is becoming more and more noticeable, and its impact is felt not only on the temperature regime, but also on seasonal phenomena. One such phenomenon is the “Indian summer” – a short period of warming in autumn. However, the framework of this phenomenon is gradually blurring, and warm days are no longer limited to September or October.

Climatologist Vera Balabukh explains that from a meteorological point of view, the “Indian summer” is a time when the temperature rises again after the average daily temperature drops below +15°C, which is considered the limit for the end of summer. Such warming occurs due to the arrival of warm air masses, creating heat waves.

According to her, in the context of global climate change, these natural phenomena are becoming less tied to a specific time of year. Warm periods characterized by the “Indian summer” are increasingly observed not only in autumn, but also in winter and early spring.

In particular, there have been cases of warming in December or March, which create the impression of a return of heat. This is explained by a general increase in temperature and changes in atmospheric processes, which leads to an increase in the number of “warm windows” in the cold months.

Experts note that such changes are part of global warming. An increase in average temperatures leads to an increase in the frequency and duration of warm periods, even in those months that were previously considered consistently cold. However, this is also accompanied by weather instability, sharp temperature fluctuations and an increase in the number of extreme weather events.