ASSESSEMENT OF THERMAL REGIME IN OLTENIA USING TEMPERATURE-BASED CLIMATE INDICATORS RELEVANT FOR AGRICULTURE SECTOR

Abstract

We present a quantitative evaluation of current climate (1981-2010) thermal conditions relevant for the agriculture sector by using seven agrometeorological climate indices computed based on the ROCADA dataset. The temperature-related indicators characterize the cold period of the year (i.e. sums of minimum air temperatures ≤â€10°C recorded in Decemberâ€February interval), the bounding seasons (e.g. zero crossing days), heating degree days) or are more specifically oriented for the growing season (i.e. Growing degree days; growing season mean temperature during Aprilâ€October/ May-September interval; Winkler index). The indices are computed for the entire Romanian territory, highlighting the thermal climatic features of the Oltenia region.