Regional climate change in Ukraine in recent decades is accompanied by an increase in the repetitiveness of intense waves, both heat and cold; there is a tendency to increase the frequency of warm winters, but sometimes there are periods with significant decreases in temperature. The aim of the study is to determine the specifics of the formation of air temperature anomalies in the cold period 2010–2019. According to the distribution of the average monthly air temperature at the stations Odessa, Kiev, Kharkiv, Lviv investigated positive and negative deviations from the climate norm. In January, the average monthly air temperature in most cases was above normal, except for 1–3 years. The maximum positive anomaly was 4–5°C in Kyiv and Lviv (2015), the largest negative deviations were 3.8°C. In February, the trend continues – only 2–3 years with negative anomalies, the largest deviations to 3–6°C in 2011 and 2012, and positive deviations maximum in 2016. In March, negative temperature anomalies were observed 3–4 years, with a maximum of 2–3°C in 2018, positive anomalies in 4–6°C were observed in 2014, 2017. Temperatures in November were variable, with the prevailing positive anomaly, a high of 6–8°C in 2010. The distribution of air temperature in December was characterized by positive deviations of a maximum of 5–6°C in 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Months of the greatest positive and negative air temperature anomalies over Europe have been highlighted. Among the colder months, the biggest anomaly stood out in January 2010 and February 2012 to 5–6°C. Among the warm months, the temperature anomaly was observed in February 2016, positive deviations from the norm to 8°C. Heat waves formed in winter with a zonal type of circulation, when warm moist air from the Atlantic shifted across the periphery of the Icelandic low. In March, waves of heat formed in low–gradient fields. Powerful waves of cold over the European sector were mainly formed under the influence of “eastern processes” in the spread of the Siberian anticyclone to Europe. In some years, significant cooling over Ukraine is formed in cyclonic systems with a high–altitude thermobaric field characterized by polar or ultrapolar hollow.
Relationships of surface air temperature anomalies over Europe to persistence of atmospheric circulation patterns conducive to heat waves