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The
Eastern Adriatic euro Mediterranean zone includes the largest part of
our coast from the southern Istria and Kvarner islands to Albania. Šolta
is also a part of this zone, and has all the climate characteristics.
It has long and very warm summers, almost completely dry and with no precipitation,
while winters are very cold, rainy and very often blow sirocco (south
wind) and bora (north wind).
Another characteristic of Šolta’s summer are very high air temperatures
(over 30°C) and also high sea temperatures (21°C - 22°C).
In In July an average temperature in shade is around 30°C what is the
temperature maximum. Temperature gradually drops during August, September
and October. In November and December it is constant (around 15°C), while
the lowest temperature is in January (10°C) that represents the temperature
minimum.
Šolta with its 16°C average annual air temperature and medium precipitation
(807 mm) is in a medium warm and medium dry zone so it is pleasant for
living and very good for tourism development.
As to winds the most important as in
the whole Adriatic are jugo (sirocco), bura (bora) and maestral (mistral,
maestrale).
Mistral
is a typical summer wind and blows constantly all day from the
northwest.
Bora is a dry and cold wind, which blows
from the direction of Split. The coast to the west of Rogač (mostly uninhabited)
is the most exposed to the strongest blows of bora. During winter it gusts
up for 4 to 6 days and can cause problems in regular lines to Split.
Sirocco with its frequent galeforce gusts
completely changed the southern part of Šolta that is mostly wild and
steep so very inconvenient for living. It can last 5 to 10 days, it gradually
becomes stronger and bringing rain it causes huge waves. The wind and
the sea are constant (force 7 to 8). During sirocco the water is high
and the air warm and humid (cyclonic sirocco). There is also anticyclonic
sirocco. It is dry and without clouds.

HYDROLOGIC FEATURES
The last study of Šolta’s sea characteristics
was done in 1984. Transparency and salinity level together with sea temperature
were measured.
It was done at a depth of 20, 50 and 100 m. (P1, P2 and P3). The study
showed the following results:
a) Temperature
month |
III |
VI |
IX |
XII |
P1-20m |
12,18° |
17,86° |
19,05° |
16,22° |
P2-50m |
12,43° |
21,91° |
21,55° |
14,96° |
P3-100m |
13,03° |
16,77° |
17,76° |
16,30° |
A very important phenomenon concerning
the sea temperature is thermocline (sudden fall of temperature) that appears
in summer months. From the following data we can see that thermocline
in that area appears in June and September. The highest thermocline is
at the P1 station in June - between 0 and 10 m and it is 5.39°C.
b) Transparency
The following chart shows us the sea
transparence level in meters for that area.
month |
III |
VI |
IX |
XII |
P1-20m |
23 |
16 |
19 |
15 |
P2-50m |
23 |
21 |
23 |
17 |
P3-100m |
26 |
33 |
30 |
23 |
c) Salinity
month |
III |
VI |
IX |
XII |
P1-20m |
37,94 |
37,54 |
37,94 |
37,68 |
P2-50m |
38,01 |
37,52 |
37,95 |
38,05 |
P3-100m |
38,09 |
38,00 |
38,43 |
38,83 |
The sea salinity is expressed by grams
in a liter and in the following chart there are average month (during
season) salinity values at different stations.
You can see that the sea in the area of Maslinica (P 3) has a higher salinity
because it is under the influence of the open sea as opposed to the northern
side that is under the influence of the mainland.
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