Lake Baikal: the climate (features)

Lake Baikal is one of the most impressive places on Earth. Every year tourists come here to admire the picturesque places and relax from the bustle. But beautiful and enchanting landscapes can be seen here not only in summer, so travelers who plan to visit this region are interested in knowing what are the specifics of Lake Baikal's climate.

Location of the lake

First of all, it's worth remembering where Baikal is. The lake is located in the central part of Asia. It occupies the territory between the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The nearest towns that are located near Baikal are Irkutsk, Slyudyanka, Angarsk, Severobaikalsk, Ulan-Ude, Babushkin, Kamensk, Ust-Barguzin. But, going to these places, vacationers are more interested in what kind of climate on Lake Baikal.

General idea of the climate on the lake

As in many other amazing places on the planet, this lake also has its own distinctive features, and the weather is one of them. In Eastern Siberia, where the lake is located , the climate is sharply continental. Because of the huge thickness of the water and the proximity of the mountains, it is softened off the coast. Many are surprised that the climate of Lake Baikal differs from that which was established even in the nearest cities. But in reality a large amount of water is a kind of temperature stabilizer. That is why in the summer, the weather here is slightly cooler than in Irkutsk, and in winter, on the contrary, the frost is not so strong here. On average, the temperature difference in the city and on the lake is 10 degrees. On the whole coast trees grow, creating dense beautiful forests. They not only decorate the terrain, but also affect the climate of Lake Baikal.

Average water temperature in summer

It's no secret that in winter this lake is covered with ice. The average annual temperature on the water surface is only four degrees. Even in the summer, the lake remains cool. On the shores on warm days, the water warms up to +16 ... +17 degrees. If you measure the temperature in shallow bays, then there it can rise to +23 degrees. Once the water in the lake was able to warm up to +28 ^о С, it happened in the hot summer of 2008.

When to come on vacation

The peculiarities of Baikal's climate are to travel and rest in the days from mid-June to mid-August. As a rule, at this time on the lake there is sunny weather. On such days there is practically no evaporation from the surface of the water, so the sky is not strewn with clouds. In addition, coastal mountains provide protection. Clouds can stretch from the land, but they can not "sink" through the peaks, without squandering their power. Thanks to such favorable circumstances, the sky remains clear. In addition, even at night in the air, heat remains, and tourists come to Baikal. The climate remains "capricious" anyway, because even on such auspicious days the weather can be rainy. If it does not, the bad weather can last up to three weeks. It is known that on Lake Baikal is the most sunny place - Olkhon, but even there can go rains. Fortunately, this happens very rarely.

Winter on Lake Baikal

Many people like to come to the lake in summer, but there are also such tourists who appreciate the winter Baikal. The climate at this time is harsh, but still the terrain remains beautiful and open to visitors. In winter, it's very difficult to get to the lake, because the hard climate complicates the movement around Siberia. In addition, the light day is very shortened. In December, it dawns only at nine in the morning, and at five, dusk falls, rapidly growing into the night. If good frosts hit, a thick fog appears in the air, which does not even allow you to see the sky. Baikal remains unfrozen until January. At this time, the water hovers a little, and the surface is completely enveloped in a haze, because of which it is impossible to see the banks. With the approach of spring, the strongest movement of ice begins, and some hummocks in height reach two meters.

Closer to March, many tourists choose to go to the lake for ski walks, ice fishing, ice skating on flyers. This time is considered a winter "velvet season". In March, it is warmer than in February, the ice is still safe, and there is a lot of snow along the coast. Visit the lake in winter is not less exciting than in the warm season.

Spring

The lake is beautiful at any time of the year, so in the spring you can also go to Baikal. The climate in this period is different, because the ice comes off unevenly and very long. Closer to the southern shores, it disappears by the beginning of May, but in the northern corners it lasts until the end of the month. But it is in the spring that you can admire the pristine nature. At this time there is still no mass of travelers. The best time for spring tourism to Baikal is the period from mid-May to 10 June. Just then the water is cleared from the layers of ice and it's not hot yet. You can arrange an exciting trip on a boat, although for this you will have to take warm clothes.

Summer season

The climate of Baikal in the summer has the most to rest. In these places, the stable heat begins on June 15. Here you can travel among the pristine nature and do not worry that you will freeze, as the fair days stand until mid-August. As early as May 25, passenger navigation begins. In warm weather tourists organize tent camps, which usually have many residents. Most often they are located on the shores of the Chivyrkuisky Bay and the Small Sea. In places where the car is difficult to drive, it is almost impossible to meet tent tourists. Also there are very few travelers in the northern parts of Lake Baikal. But here there are picturesque reserves.

Autumn on the lake

Having considered the climate on Lake Baikal by months, we turn to the autumn season. Very attractive period here in the days of "Indian summer". The forest begins to play with colorful colors and picturesque reflections on the water. In autumn, the most attractive are mixed forests. The most saturated are on the coasts of Chivyrkuisky Bay and Sandy Bay.

You can also choose a place to rest near the island of Olkhon. Here in the second week of September, there are very few tourists, everyone is leaving, so you can retire in nature. But the weather in this period is changing. In the beginning of September the wind blows more often. With his gusts he mixes the water, making the air cool and transparent in autumn. Although in the daytime there is a soft warmth, with the onset of the evening there is a cold. At this time the lake itself has a temperature of no more than 14 degrees.

Weather and climate of Baikal

Having briefly examined the seasonal weather on the lake, one can draw a conclusion about the state of the climate. It is mainly influenced by the water mass, so the winter here is more calm and warm, and summer, on the contrary, is somewhat cooler than in the neighboring cities. Autumn on Baikal is most often delayed, and the onset of spring is half a month late. It is important to note that, in sum, the longitude of days with sunshine in the territory of Lake Baikal is longer than at many resorts. For example, on the island of Olkhon there are only 48 days without sun, and in the nearby village - 37. If to count, this is 2524 hours of sunshine, which is much more than at the Black Sea resorts. Such a record amount became possible due to local winds. It should be noted that the abundance of the sun is also reflected in the climate of the area near the lake.

Winds on Lake Baikal

Here, certain types of winds have their names. The first one is "hangar", or "topman". It goes from north to south from the valley of the Upper Angara River and blows along the lake. These winds are very long, up to ten days. Begin to rule in mid-August, when the summer holiday season ends. "Verhovik" is usually not impulsive and blows gently, without creating a wave off the coast. He often accompanies the sunny weather, which continues to attract travelers to Lake Baikal. The climate and the character of the "top" begin to change noticeably. Now the wind swings the lake, catching gloomy, steep waves that can reach 6 meters. The hangar can be identified at dawn, as it is evidenced by a bright red horizon and clots of clouds over Cape Tolstoy.

Another type of wind is the Barguzin. It originates in the Barguzin Valley and dominates mainly near the central part of Lake Baikal. Breathes across the water. Its beginning is even, but gradually it is gaining power. "Barguzin" is not as long as the "top". With his arrival, there comes a stable sunny weather.

"Sarma" is the mountain and the most terrible wind in this area. He is strong and fast. It originates in the valley of the Sarma River, which merges with the Small Sea. In one hour the wind gathers the maximum speed (more than 40 m / s) and reaches its full strength. In the summer, the "Sarma" begins unexpectedly and leaves unpredictably. With the onset of autumn, the wind may not cease for a whole day. Learn about the appearance of "sarma" in the clouds that appear above the Three-Headed Golts of the Baikal Range. They sail to the lake and dissipate, creating a wide ripple on the surface of the water.

"Kultuk" is also a "bearer" of bad weather and a storm. It blows along the whole lake, starting from the southern side of Lake Baikal. The wind is not as long as the "top", and the main time of its appearance is in the autumn. Presents the formation of "kultuk" fog. It should appear on the ridges of the Khamar-Daban ridge.

"Mountain" - this name speaks for itself, it breaks from the mountains. This is the northwestern side wind at the lake. He is very impulsive and arises suddenly. The strength of the wind increases rapidly. His time is October and November.

Nebula on Lake Baikal

Most often, fogs appear on the lake in July, the type of Baikal climate contributes to this. But this phenomenon is also affected by other months. The fog is due to the fact that warm air descends on the cool surface of the water. In the aggregate, a condensate is formed. In the cold period, the formation of fog is associated with the evaporation of moisture. It can be observed in calm, mild weather. Usually it occurs at dawn and lasts for five, six hours. Sometimes it can last up to two days, and then disappear. It is often possible to observe a dense fog, which just above (at an altitude of 100 meters) grows into clouds. A little higher, these clouds turn into cumulus. Very rarely they go beyond the Baikal basin. In this case, the phenomenon is called an atmospheric phenomenon, since there are no cumulus clouds in the winter.