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Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
87
ESTIMATION OF CLIMATIC RESOURCES FOR SUMMER SPORT RECREATION
IN THE JEWISH AUTONOMOUS REGION OF RUSSIA
E. Grigorieva and D. Fetisov
Institute for Complex Analysis of Regional Problems FEB RAS, 679016, Birobidzhan, Russia
eagrigor@yandex.ru
ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of an assessment of climatic resources for
summer sport recreation. The focus in on the physical facets of climate (referred to in Russia
as technological assessment of climate) to determine the number of days that are favorable for
certain types of recreational activity such as hiking, rafting, swimming etc. Taking into
account both climate and the various physiological aspect of the human body, it is possible to
determine circumstances that are best suited to, or that limit, recreational activities. The study
region is the Jewish Autonomous Region of Russia. The analysis identifies two recreational
climate zones. They differ in the amount of days favorable for summer recreation, including
opportunities for swimming etc. For the warm season, the periods and regions are identified in
which it is not desirable to undertake certain activities because of the strong influence of the
limiting factors such as sultry weather, precipitation, cold, strong wind etc. The characteristics
of sport-climatic resources of the Jewish Autonomous Region that were identified may be
useful for the seasonal planning and timing of outdoor recreational activities in a region
characterized by climate extremes.
KEYWORDS: Sport recreation, limiting factors, warm period, monsoon climate, southern
Far East of Russia
INTRODUCTION
Tourism is considered to be of economic benefit in many countries and like recreation relies
heavily on natural resources. The climatic resources have special importance as they
determine the attractiveness of conditions for tourism and recreation, they can limit times
during which a particular recreational activity can take place and they can have medical-
biological implications (Mirzekhanova, 2003). Where improved health is a motive for
recreation, the aim avoid morphological and functional deterioration of the body, but it is
assumed that exposure to the climate elements during exercise will not itself put stresses or
Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
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strains on the body leading to undesirable consequences (Ivanov, 2001). In this case, severe or
extreme climatic conditions will be unfavorable for health or ‘spa tourism’ because of the risk
to the body’s well-being.
So called sport recreation is motivated by people’s desire to relax and enjoy the experience.
Hiking can still take place while it drizzles, but strong precipitation hinders this type of
recreational activity. The best conditions for hiking are those that result in no negative effects.
Some weather phenomena such as high temperatures, sultry humid weather conditions may
recreational activities must stop, as conditions can cause physiological strain even in a healthy
person. Thus, if both weather conditions and their physiological effect are taking into account
simultaneously the suitability of various climates for sports recreation can be assessed and
used to provide information that may be useful for the seasonal planning and timing of
outdoor recreational activities, especially in regions with extreme climatic conditions.
METHODS
Data for the study area is drawn from five hydrometeorological stations (HMS) in the Jewish
Autonomous Region (JAR) (Climatic Books of the USSR, 1967-1969). The archival data
from the Centre on Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of the Environment in Khabarovsk
were also used. HMS Obluchye and Bira are situated in the mountains. The stations
Smidovich, Yekaterino-Nikolskoye and Leninskoye are located in the plains.
The Jewish Autonomous Region is located in the southern far east of Russia. The study area
is located in the temperate monsoon climatic zone characterized by an extreme continental
regime of annual temperatures. The typical feature here is the effect that winter and summer
monsoons have on each other. Winter monsoons cause frosty weather with few clouds and
low snow cover. The mean monthly temperature in January (the coldest winter month) ranges
from -21.2 oС in the south to -26.5 oС in the north (with an absolute minimum of -52 oС). The
summer monsoon is characterized by warm damp conditions with mean temperatures in July
of 19 – 21 oС (with the absolute maximum of +40 oС). In this season 60 % of the annual
precipitation is recorded. Several authors (e.g. Gorbatcevic, 1894, Matukhin, 1971) have
highlighted the extreme climate found in this area: in winter the conditions in the southern far
east are similar to those in Siberia; and in the summer the climate is similar to that of the
warm humid tropics. Human discomfort in monsoon climate conditions in the far east is a
function of the low temperatures and high wind in winter and the combination of high air
temperatures with high relative humidity creating an unpleasant, sultry feeling in summer.
Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
89
The physical facets of climate (referred to in Russia as technological assessment of climate)
can be used to ascertain the number of days that are favorable for certain types of recreation.
Here we analyze what is the required by recreationists of the climatic environment taking into
account the physiological effects. The parameters that are used for this in the warm period of
the year are: equivalent-effective temperature (EET); radiation-effective temperature (RET);
sultry weather (mean daily air temperature is higher 23 oС with relative humidity over 80%)
and weather dryness (mean daily air temperature is higher than 27 oС with relative humidity <
30 - 40 %); precipitation (> 1 mm) and wind over 7-8 m/s; and water temperature in lakes
and water bodies used for recreation (Kolotova, 1998, Derkacheva, 2000, Grigorieva, 2003).
EET (oC) is an indicator of thermophysiological well-being given by Aizenshtat (1964) as:
EET = T (1 – 0.003(100 – f)) – 0.385 V0.59 ((36.6 – T) + 0.622 (V – 1)) +
+ ((0.0015 V + 0/008)(36.6 – T) – 0.0167) (100 – f),
where T is the temperature of the air outdoors (oC), V is wind speed (m s-1), and f is relative
humidity (%). Thermal environment in the warm period of the year is usually classified
according to scale of thermal sensation as presented by Kolotova (1998). Comfortable
conditions are taken as those that are thermally neutral EET = 17–22oС, cool conditions when
EET = 8–16oС, cold when EET < 8oС and very hot when EET > 23oС.
RET (oC) is an indicator of the appeal of conditions for people to sunbathing and can be
estimated by the formula devised by Butyeva (Isaev, 2001):
RET = 0.83 EET + 12.
In all of the above assessments it is assumed the recreationist is a healthy adult.
RESULTS
The duration of the period that is favorable for summer sport recreation in the JAR is
determined by EET using a scale of thermal sensation described by Kolotova (1998) and
shown in Table 1. On average, the period with comfortable thermal sensation favorable for
summer recreation lasts 55 days (28 % of the entire warm period). It lasts from the end of
June to the end of August. Together with cool thermal sensation, when some restrictions for
recreational activity are necessary, the beginning of the examined period shifts to the first
week of May and ends the last week of September. In this case the duration is about 135
days.
Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
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Table 1: Reiteration of days with various thermal sensation, warm seasons, %, the JAR
HMS Comfortable (neutral)
weather
(EET = 17–22oС)
Cool weather
(EET = 8–16oС)
Cold weather
(EET < 8oС)
Obluchye 24 48 28
Bira 37 40 23
Birobidzhan 28 42 30
Smidovich 45 46 9
Yekaterino-Nikolskoye 29 41 30
The number of days favorable for summer sport recreation is determined while taking into
account limiting conditions (sultry and dry weathers, weather with precipitation, and weather
with strong wind) (Table 2).
Table 2: Number and frequency of days suited to sport recreation during the JAR warm season.
HMS Duration of season
(days)
Number of days favorable
for summer recreation
Frequency (%) of days favorable for
summer recreation
Obluchye 197 109 55
Bira 197 121 61
Birobidzhan 198 107 54
Smidovich 198 108 55
Yekaterino-
Nikolskoye 204 104 51
Average 199 110 55
The result show that the duration of the period favorable for summer recreation is short in all
parts of the study region and amounts only to 55 % of the warm season. The various factors
that limit recreation are: dry and sultry weather, precipitation, strong winds, and low
uncomfortable air temperature. These factors are most prominent at the beginning and at the
end of the warm period (summer). Monsoon climate with tropical air in summer is
characterized by regular repetition of days with sultry weathers. They are measured more
often in the plains (in Birobidzhan, Smidovich and Yekaterino-Nikolskoye) – about 27 days.
About 14 days with strong winds are observed here during the season. The mountain regions
(HMS Obluchye, Bira) are more suitable for summer recreation as the days with sultry
weather and strong winds occur less often then the plains (Grigorieva and Khristoforova,
2004).
The data on RET and temperature of water in reservoirs allow us to correct the results on the
duration of the period favorable for swimming. RET characterizes the opportunities for
people to sunbath and can be estimated from the formula offered by Butyeva (Isaev, 2001).
The zone of comfort is determined for naked humans (Tab. 3).
Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
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Table 3: Number of days and their reiteration for a warm season with RET in comfort zone, the JAR
HMS Number of days Frequency %
Obluchye 49 25
Bira 46 23
Birobidzhan 46 23
Smidovich 49 25
Yekaterino-Nikolskoye 54 26
The most favorable period for sun-bathing lasts from May to September due to the amount
and intensity of radiation during the day. At the same time, these months are uncomfortable
for sun-bathing due to the thermal sensation of unclothed humans. Hence, sun-bathing can be
recommended in the summer during the period with active ultra-violet radiation, which
generally occurs in late June and early July.
Water temperatures in the rivers reach comfortable values for swimming (+24 o
С) in the
summer period. Swimming in low-lying rivers is possible from mid-June to the beginning of
September - 70 days in total. In the mountains the temperature of water bodies is favorable for
swimming only in lakes; this type of recreation can be recommended here within a period of
50 - 60 days.
The analysis of climatic resources for sport recreation for the warm season of the year has
resulted in the determination of two recreation-climatic zones with subzones. They differ in
the amount of days favorable for summer recreation including swimming (Tab. 4).
Table 4: The characteristic of climatic-recreational zones, the Jewish Autonomous Region
Zone amount of days favorable for
summer recreation opportunities for swimming recreation
Mountains, subzones:
Northwest, central
Southeast
109
109 – 121
swimming is possible only in reservoirs with
standing water
Plains, subzones:
East
Central
Southern
108
107
104
everywhere
This differentiation of climatic recreational resources for the JAR will be useful to tourism
planners and recreational organizers for determining suitable times and places for outdoor
activities.
CONCLUSION
The characteristics of sport climatic resources in the JAR based on a physiological assessment
are presented here. The results allow for better planning of recreational activities, taking into
Developments in Tourism Climatology – A. Matzarakis, C. R. de Freitas, D. Scott, 2007
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account the influences of the climatic environment on humans. During the warm season the
time-periods and regions are identified when and where outdoor recreation should be avoided
because of limiting factors, such sultry or excessively dry weather, heavy precipitation, strong
wind etc. This information on climatic recreational resources can be used to plan different
types of summer sport recreation without risking harm to the human body.
REFERENCES
Aizenshtat, B. (1964) Methods for assessment of bioclimatical indices. Meteorol. and
Hydrolog. 12:9-16.
Climatic Books of the USSR (1967-1969). Issue 25: Khabarovsky Kray, Amur Region.
Leningrad, Hydrometeoizdat.
Derkacheva, L. (2000) Methodical approaches to the integrated analysis of climatic
conditions for the recreational purposes. Geogr. and Natural Res. 4:124-130.
Gorbatcevich, E. (1894) A climate of Khabarovsk. Hygienic studies. Khabarovsk, Priamurye
Military District Press.
Grigorieva, Е. (2003) Ecological-climatic conditions of the Jewish Autonomous Region and
their influence on health of the population. Vladivostok, Far-Eastern State University.
Grigorieva, Е. and Khristoforova, N. (2004) Climatic Discomfort of the Jewish Autonomous
Region. Geogr. and Natural Res. 4:101-104.
Isaev, A. (2001) Ecological climatology. Moscow, Scientific World.
Ivanov, Ye. (2001) Important questions of the curative medicine in Primorye. Vladivostok,
Far-Eastern State Academy.
Kolotova, Ye. (1998), Recreational resources and their using. Moscow, Russian International
Academy of tourism.
Matukhin, V. (1971) Bioclimatilogy of human in the monsoon conditions. Leningrad, Nauka.
Mirzekhanova, Z. (2003) Natural resources and their using. Vladivostok, FEB RAS.
