Published 05.11.2020 More than a century and a half has passed since the Hydrometeorological station was founded in Fort Shevchenko Nana of Mangystau region in 1848.
The station was operated by the Hydrometeorological Committee of Azerbaijan in Baku.
It was extremely difficult to determine the climate of the entire area, because of the huge extent of the region and the difference in the heights of one station, it was difficult to make a complete climate analysis. In this connection, from 1856 to 1867. in this area the hydrographic expedition the first time it was under the leadership of N. A. Ivashentseva. As a result, detailed high-precision navigation maps of the Caspian sea were developed, measurements were made in open areas, and the first bathymetric map was compiled.
And then in 1904, with the assistance of the Russian geographical society, an expedition to study the herring fishery worked for more than three months. under the leadership of N. M. Knipovich, the expedition performed a large number of chemical studies, conducted numerous observations of the temperature, density, color and transparency of water, and currents. Eckman's turntable measured the direction and speed of currents, corked bottles, and tethered floats. Also, for the first time, a vertical distribution of water temperature was revealed, and an exceptionally low oxygen content was found in deep-water areas below the horizon of 200 m. Based on the collected observation data, a General cyclonic flow pattern covering the entire Caspian sea was proposed.
In particular, during this period, a large amount of material was collected on the hydrology, biology and fisheries of the entire sea, and for the first time information was obtained about seasonal changes in hydrological and biological phenomena. The results of research in 1904-1915 are summarized in the"Proceedings of the Caspian expedition".
Before the formation of the Soviet state, the network of sea stations was very limited, and during the civil war (1918-1920), all hydrometeorological stations were closed, including Fort Shevchenko.
The restoration and development of the network of hydrometeorological stations began with the organization of the hydrometeorological service in Azerbaijan in 1922. During the great Patriotic war, observations were conducted intermittently. From 1937 to 1951, observation data was completely lost. From 1951 to the present, the station has been operating smoothly and normally.