Winter

• Winter usually lasts for the four-month period of November through February. A great continental anticyclone develops over Eurasia and extends southwestward toward the Balkans. Cold and clear weather usually results with this weather pattern as transient extratropical low pressure systems over the Mediterranean Sea cause strong pressure gradients to develop over the Adriatic region on the south side of the anticyclone. Stormy and unsettled weather at Durrës may result when the low-pressure systems move across the Adriatic Sea rather than farther south over the Mediterranean Sea.

• While relatively strong and gusty winds may be observed, the exceptionally strong Bora winds common over the northern Adriatic coasts near Trieste and Koper do not occur at Durrës. According to the Hydrometeorological Institute in Tirana, Albania, southerly (locally called Scirocco) and southwesterly (locally called Garbi) wind directions predominate during the November through February period. When Scirocco winds occur, they last for an average of 2 to 3 days. The strongest wind speed recorded during the four-month winter season over a 19-year period of record is 49 kt (25 m s-¹).

• The mean maximum temperature at Durrës varies from a high of 60°F (16°C) in November to a low of 52°F (11°C) in January and February. Mean minimum temperatures vary from a low of 44°F (7°C) in January to a high of 52°F (11°C) in November. Wind chill is a factor that must be considered for personnel working in exposed, outdoor locations during the winter season. The Wind Chill Table should be consulted to determine equivalent wind chill temperatures for specific temperature and wind speed combinations.

• Thunderstorms are occasionally observed during winter, with most occurring early in the season. The months of October and November register the highest number of thunderstorm days during the year, with storms being recorded on an average of 2.5 days per month. The total number of thunderstorm days varies between 12 and 35 per year, with a 40-year average of 18.7 days per year.

• Visibility restriction at Durrës due to fog is not common during winter. However, during a Scirocco, heavy fog can be expected over the Adriatic Sea north of the island of Palagruza (Pelagosa), especially from October to January.