Cape Zhelaniya

Cape Zhelaniya (Russian: Мыс Желания, Mys Zhelaniya; желание being Russian for 'wish/desire') is a headland in the Russian Federation. It is an important geographical landmark. The area in the vicinity of the cape is a desolate place, exposed to bitter Arctic winters. The cape along with the surrounding part of Novaya Zemlya is protected as part of Russian Arctic National Park.[1]

Cape Zhelaniya
Мыс Желания
Cape
Location of Cape Zhelaniya
Location of Cape Zhelaniya
Cape Zhelaniya is located in Russia
Cape Zhelaniya
Cape Zhelaniya
Coordinates: 76°57′16.08″N 68°34′54.41″E
LocationArkhangelsk Oblast,  Russia
Offshore water bodiesBarents Sea / Kara Sea
Area
 • TotalRussian Far North

Geography

Cape Zhelaniya is located at the northern end of Severny Island, the northern island of Novaya Zemlya. This headland is a geographic point of reference to mark the separation between the northern ends of the Barents Sea and the Kara Sea.[2]

It belongs administratively to the Arkhangelsk Oblast of the Russian Federation.

View of Cape Zhelaniya
Cape Zhelaniya weather station

History

The cape was named by Dutch explorer William Barents in 1595 as Den Hoeck der Begeerte, which means "Cape Desire".[3][4]

There was a Soviet Arctic station in Cape Zhelaniya in World War II which was shelled by the Kriegsmarine during Operation Wunderland.[5]

It became a secret experimental station during the Cold War while a multitude of nuclear tests, including 88 atmospheric ones, were conducted in Novaya Zemlya. It functioned as a weather station until 1994, and since 2005 there has been an automatic meteorological station located here.[6][7]

Climate
Climate data for Cape Zhelaniya (1981-2010 normals) (Climate ID:20353)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 1.1
(34.0)		 1.5
(34.7)		 3.6
(38.5)		 8.3
(46.9)		 11.1
(52.0)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.0
(66.2)		 16.0
(60.8)		 18.7
(65.7)		 14.0
(57.2)		 5.0
(41.0)		 1.2
(34.2)		 19.0
(66.2)
Average high °C (°F) −17.0
(1.4)		 −17.4
(0.7)		 −15.9
(3.4)		 −13.6
(7.5)		 −5.5
(22.1)		 0.7
(33.3)		 3.8
(38.8)		 3.8
(38.8)		 1.6
(34.9)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −11.3
(11.7)		 −16.7
(1.9)		 −7.7
(18.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) −20.7
(−5.3)		 −20.9
(−5.6)		 −19.4
(−2.9)		 −16.9
(1.6)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 2.0
(35.6)		 2.2
(36.0)		 0.1
(32.2)		 −6.5
(20.3)		 −13.9
(7.0)		 −19.6
(−3.3)		 −10.2
(13.7)
Average low °C (°F) −24
(−11)		 −24.2
(−11.6)		 −22.7
(−8.9)		 −20.1
(−4.2)		 −10.0
(14.0)		 −2.5
(27.5)		 0.3
(32.5)		 0.6
(33.1)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 −8.5
(16.7)		 −16.5
(2.3)		 −22.5
(−8.5)		 −12.6
(9.3)
Record low °C (°F) −40
(−40)		 −40
(−40)		 −39
(−38)		 −39
(−38)		 −31.1
(−24.0)		 −18.9
(−2.0)		 −5.4
(22.3)		 −7.2
(19.0)		 −10.6
(12.9)		 −29.5
(−21.1)		 −35
(−31)		 −39
(−38)		 −40
(−40)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 9.7
(0.38)		 11.3
(0.44)		 16.0
(0.63)		 7.9
(0.31)		 17.5
(0.69)		 16.0
(0.63)		 23.3
(0.92)		 27.9
(1.10)		 25.6
(1.01)		 21.3
(0.84)		 14.2
(0.56)		 16.0
(0.63)		 206.7
(8.14)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 12.6 11.8 13.8 11.3 18.9 15.8 15.6 19.7 19.7 21.1 15.6 11.7 187.6
Source: Météo Climat[8][9]

References
  1. "Territories - Russian Arctic National Park". Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  2. "Mys Zhelaniya". Mapcarta. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  3. Temminck Groll, C.L.; Alphen; et al. (2002). Dutch overseas. Waanders. p. 40. Den Hoeck der begeerte ('Corner of Envy')
  4. Bulletin universel des sciences et de l'industrie (in French). Imprimerie de Fain. 1830. p. 169. nommée par Barens Hoeck der Begeerte (cap du Désir)
  5. Soviet polar explorers repel Nazi naval attack
  6. "Climatic data". Archived from the original on 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  7. Weather station Archived 2006-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Moyennes 1981-2010 Russie" (in French). Météo Climat. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  9. "Météo Climat stats for Mys Zhelaniya". Météo Climat. Retrieved 1 November 2019.

Literature


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