Last month was the second warmest September in Romania. Temperatures were also much higher than in some past summer months

September 2023 was an extremely warm month in Romania, with almost 4 degrees C above the multi-year average, the month being in second place, surpassed only by September 1994, according to ANM data, sent to HotNews.ro. It’s further evidence of how much the climate has changed, as last month was much warmer than July or August in the 70s and 80s.

The national average was +18.6C last month, up 3.9C on the 1991-2020 period. Only in September 1994 was the average higher: +18.8 C.

September retains many of the characteristics of late summer, but this generally happens in the first few days of the month, not the whole month, as has happened this year. For example, the highest temperatures, over 35 C, were recorded on September 23 and 24, 2023.

It was +36.6 C in Zimnicea and +35.7 C in Oltenita and Giurgiu. Over 35 C were also at other weather stations, such as Bucharest Filaret, Turnu Măgurele or Calafat.

At all weather stations, last month’s average was at least 2.5 C above the median of the reference interval 1991-2020, and at many stations the deviation was huge: over 4 C (Muntenia, Oltenia, Banat, Crișana, the north Transylvania and locally in the high mountain area).

September 2023 was, with this +18.6 C average, warmer than many Julys and Augusts 40-50 years ago. For example, in August 1976 the national average was only +15.4 C, so September 2023 was 3.2 C warmer.

In August 1978 the average was only 17 C, and in August 1965 and July 1979, only 17.1 C. Last month exceeded the July of 1984 by more than a degree.

Even at the highest weather station in the country, at Vf Omu, the month’s average was over 6.5 C, although the normal would be +2.9 C and there were no frosty days. The lowest September temperature anywhere in the country was measured in Omu: -15 C, in 1935.

Top 5 warmest September months in Romania (average from over 100 weather stations)

September 1994: +18.8 C

September 2023: +18.6 C

September 2011: +17.8 C

September 2020: +17.6 C

September 2012: =17.6 C

The coldest month of September was in 1996, with an average of only +11.6 C.