Kvilda

Kvilda (German: Außergefild) is a village in Prachatice District, South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It lies in Šumava region, in the elevation of 1,065 m, making it the highest-located municipality in the country.[2] It is also the coldest place in the Czech Republic with average annual temperature of 2 °C (36 °F). The average number of below-zero days per annum is 252.[3]

Not to be confused with Horská Kvilda.
Kvilda
Village
Kvilda
Flag
Coat of arms
Kvilda
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°1′9.3″N 13°34′46.48″E
CountryCzech Republic
RegionSouth Bohemian
DistrictPrachatice
First mentioned1569
Government
 • MayorVáclav Vostradovský
Area
 • Total45.17 km2 (17.44 sq mi)
Elevation
1,065 m (3,494 ft)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total139
 • Density3.1/km2 (8.0/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
384 93
Websitehttps://www.sumava.net/kvilda/

The sources of the Czech Republic's longest river Vltava are located in the cadastral area of the municipality.[2]

Geography and climate

Municipality of Kvilda lies on central plateau of Böhmerwald (Šumava) mountains at elevation of some 1045–1090 metres ASL (3430 – 3575 feet). This valley is often filled with cold air masses originating from nearby higher mountains; it is one of the coldest places in all central Europe with temperature minima often much below the freezing point even during summer season and even more so during colder seasons. Temperatures are sometimes plummeting to −20 °C (−4 °F) in April, −8 °C (18 °F) in summer and up to −42 °C (−44 °F) during winters.[4][5][6] Most winters see few weeks with at least −30 °C (−22 °F).[7] Kvilda enjoys a version of wet Subarctic climate (Dfc) with cold and wet conditions year round. Precipitations are equally in form of rain and snow, totalling 1135 mm. There are four pronounced seasons with very long, cold, wet, and sunny winter season starting in November and continuing well into April when it is changing to cool and wet spring. Growing season starts in May and ends in early September when short autumn, season of rapid cooling, starts. Summers are cold and wet. Average round the clock temperature in July averages +13.5 °C and January mean temperature equals to −5.2 °C. The whole year average is 4.3 °C (39.7 °F). Similar climate can be found in the Alps, Northern Eurasia and Northern America in places like Anchorage, Alaska, Crater Lake, Oregon, or Tromsø, Norway.

References
  1. "Population of municipalities of the Czech Republic". Czech Statistical Office. 1 January 2019.
  2. Kvilda: Nejvýše ležící obec je také ta nejchladnější at Prachatický Deník.cz, 1 September 2012
  3. Certifikát Nejstudenější místo v katastru obce Agentura Dobrý den Pelhřimov, 9 December 2011
  4. "The coldest night of this winter". Tiscali Media, a.s. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  5. "Po 25 letech padl teplotní rekord" (in Czech). Klatovský Deník. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  6. "There was a record measured in Kvilda". Český Rozhlas. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  7. "Climate conditions in Innergefild". SumavaNet.cz. Retrieved 11 December 2013.


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