THE BLACK SEA 



387 



lowest salinity is found in the northern part of the western half of the Sea 

 and in the region adjacent to the Kerch Strait. The salinity of the deep layers 

 of water, except for the area near the Bosporus, reaches 22-5 to 22-6% . 



Temperature 



At the coldest time of the year (January and February) the surface waters of 

 the northwestern, and at times of the northeastern, corners of the Sea are 

 considerably cooled, down to and below zero Centigrade (in some cases 

 down to — 1-4°), whereas the southern parts of the Sea maintain a temperature 

 of 8 or 9°, and at times higher. The river mouths and inlets of the northern part 



Fig. 187. Largest distribution of ice in Black Sea: 1 In mild winters; 2 In normal 



winters ; 3 In severe winters ; 4 Maximum distribution in exceptionally severe winters 



(Velokurova and Starov, 1946). 



of the Sea have an ice cover every year. The open northwestern regions of the 

 Sea are also covered with ice when the winter is severe. The Dzharylgatch and 

 Karkinitsk inlets are frequently covered with an ice sheet (Fig. 187). The same 

 phenomenon, but to a lesser extent, is observed in the northeastern corner of 

 the Sea : the formation of coastal ice off Anapa is of frequent occurrence. 

 Large masses of floating ice may be formed during an exceptionally severe 

 winter off the Crimea and along the northwestern coast of the Black Sea ; 

 bays and inlets may be covered with ice. At the hottest time of the year 

 (usually in August) the temperature of the surface waters off the shores is 

 27° to 28° and sometimes even 29° (or slightly higher) ; in contrast with the 

 winter season, its fluctuations in different parts of the Sea are comparatively 

 small (3° or 4°). The fluctuations of the average annual temperature of the 

 Black Sea surface waters off the shores are 11-0° to 11-4° near Odessa, and 



