The climate of Romania is continental, transitioning into humid subtropical (locally often "warm oceanic" or "Pontic") on the eastern coast, influenced by polar intrusions, and therefore characterized by harsh winters. The mountain ranges of the Carpathian arc have a cool mountain climate with high humidity throughout the year.[1]
Rainfall, although adequate throughout the country, decreases from west to east and from mountains to plains. Some mountainous areas receive more than 10101NaN1 of precipitation each year. Annual precipitation averages about 6350NaN0 in central Transylvania, 5211NaN1 at Iaşi in Moldavia, and only 3810NaN0 at Constanţa on the Black Sea.Summers in the country are generally very warm to hot, and temperatures over 35°C are not unknown in the lower-lying areas of the country. Night time lows in Bucharest and other lower-lying areas are around 16°C, but at higher altitudes both maxima and minima decline considerably.
In the coldest months of winter (December and January) temperatures average between 3˚C and -15˚C. During winter, the skies are often cloudy and snowfall is quite common. In the plains of Romania there are about thirty days with snowfall per year.
The absolute minimum temperature was -38.5°C, registered near Brașov in 1942. The absolute maximum temperature was 44.5°C, recorded at Ion Sion, Brăila County in 1951.[2]
See also: List of cities by average temperature and List of cities by sunshine duration.