Lake Baikal is one of the most impressive places on Earth. Tourists come here every year to enjoy the picturesque places and relax from the bustle. But beautiful and bewitching landscapes can be seen here not only in the summer, so travelers who plan to visit this region are interested to know what are the features of the climate of Lake Baikal.
The location of the lake
To begin with, it’s worth reminding yourself where Baikal is located. The lake is located in central Asia. It occupies the territory between the Republic of Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. The nearest cities that are located near Lake Baikal are Irkutsk, Slyudyanka, Angarsk, Severobaykalsk, Ulan-Ude, Babushkin, Kamensk, Ust-Barguzin. But, going to these places, vacationers are more interested in the climate on Lake Baikal.
General overview of the climate on the lake
As in many other amazing places on our 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. Off the coast due to the huge thickness of the water and the proximity of the mountains, it softens. Many people 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 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. Trees grow along the coast, creating dense beautiful forests. They not only decorate the area, but also affect the climate of Lake Baikal.
Average summer water temperature
It is no secret that in winter this lake is covered with ice. The average annual temperature on the surface of the water is only four degrees. Even in the summer, the lake remains cool. On the coast 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 even to +28 , it happened in the hot summer of 2008.
When to come on vacation
The features of the Baikal climate favor travel and relaxation on days from mid-June to mid-August. As a rule, sunny weather remains on the lake at this time. On such days, there is practically no evaporation from the surface of the water, so the sky is not dotted with clouds. In addition, coastal mountains provide protection. Clouds can stretch from land, but they can’t “roll over” the peaks without wasting their power. Thanks to such favorable circumstances, the sky remains clear. In addition, even at night it is warm in the air, and tourists come to Lake Baikal. At the same time, the climate remains “capricious", because even on such favorable days the weather can be rainy. If you are not lucky, the weather can drag on for up to three weeks. It is known that on Baikal there is the sunniest place - Olkhon, but even there it can rain. Fortunately, this happens very rarely.
Winter on Baikal
Many people like to come to the lake during the summer period, but there are also such tourists who appreciate winter Baikal. The climate at this time is severe, but still the area remains beautiful and open to guests. In winter, getting to the lake is very difficult, because the harsh climate complicates the movement in Siberia. In addition, daylight hours are very reduced. In December, it dawns only at nine in the morning, and dusk falls at five, quickly turning into night. If good frost 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 soars a little, and the surface is completely enveloped in haze, because of which it is impossible to see the coast. With the approach of spring, the strongest movement of ice begins, and some hummocks reach a height of two meters.
Closer to March, many tourists go to the lake for skiing, ice fishing, ice-boating. This time is considered the winter "velvet season." In March it is already warmer than in February, the ice is still safe, and there is a lot of snow along the shores. Visiting the lake in winter is no 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 Lake Baikal. The climate during this period is different, because the ice melts unevenly and for a very long time. Closer to the southern shores, it disappears by early May, but in the northern corners it stays 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 not a mass of travelers. The best time for spring tourism on Lake Baikal is considered to be the period from mid-May to June 10th. Just then, the waters are cleared of ice and not hot. You can arrange a fascinating boat trip, although for this you have to take warm clothes.
Summer season
The climate of Lake Baikal in the summer is most conducive to relaxation. In these places, stable heat begins on June 15. Here you can travel among the pristine nature and not worry that you will freeze, because good days are until mid-August. Starting May 25, passenger navigation begins. In warm time, tourists set up camps, in which there are usually many residents. Most often they are localized on the shores of the Chivyrkuy Bay and the Small Sea. In places where it is difficult to drive by car, it is almost impossible to meet tent tourists. There are also very few travelers in the northern parts of Lake Baikal. But then there are picturesque reserves.
Autumn on the lake
Having examined the climate on Lake Baikal for months, we move on to the fall season. A very attractive period here is during the “Indian summer” days. 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 located on the coasts of the Chivyrkuy Bay and Sandy Bay.
You can also choose a place to stay 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 is changing during this period. In early September, the wind blows more often. He stirs water with his impulses, making the air cool and transparent in autumn. Although mild warmth is felt during the daytime, with the onset of evening, cold is felt. 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, we can conclude about the climate. It is mainly influenced by water mass, so winter is calmer and warmer here, and summer, on the contrary, is several degrees cooler than in neighboring cities. Autumn on Lake Baikal is most often delayed, and the onset of spring is half a month late. It is important to note that, in total, the longitude of days with sunshine in the territory of Lake Baikal is longer than in many resorts. For example, on the island of Olkhon there are only 48 days without sun, and in the nearby village - 37. If you count, then this is 2524 hours of sunshine, which is much more than in the resorts of the Black Sea. Such a record number was made possible by local winds. It should be noted that the abundance of the sun also affects the climate of the territory near the lake.
Winds on Baikal
Here, certain types of winds have their own names. The first is the "hangar," or "supremacy." It travels 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. They begin to rule in mid-August, when the summer holiday season ends. The Verkhovik is usually not gusty and blows softly, without creating waves near the coast. Most often it is accompanied by sunny weather, which continues to attract travelers to Lake Baikal. The climate and nature of the “Verkhovik” are beginning to change markedly. Now the wind is swinging the lake, catching moody steep waves that can reach 6 meters. The hangar can be identified at dawn, because it is evidenced by the bright red horizon and clumps of clouds above Cape Tolstoy.
Another type of wind is barguzin. It originates in the
Barguzin Valley and dominates mainly in the central part of Lake Baikal. Blowing across the water. Its beginning is smooth, but gradually it is gaining power. The Barguzin is not as long as the Verkhovik. With his arrival, stable sunny weather sets in.
Sarma is the mountainous and worst wind in the 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 picks up maximum speed (more than 40 m / s) and reaches its full strength. In the summer period, “sarma” begins unexpectedly and leaves just as unpredictably. With the onset of autumn, the wind may not stop for a whole day. They learn about the appearance of “sarma” through the clouds that appear above the three-headed char of the Pribaikalsky ridge. They swim to the lake and disperse, creating wide ripples on the surface of the water.
"Kultuk" is also the "carrier" of bad weather and storm. It blows along the entire lake, starting from the southern side of Baikal. The wind is not as long as the “Verkhovik”, and the main time of its appearance is autumn. The fog indicates the formation of a "crop". It should appear on the char of the Khamar-Daban ridge.
"Mountain" - this name speaks for itself, it breaks down from the mountains. This is the northwest lateral wind on the lake. It is very choppy and occurs suddenly. The strength of the wind is growing rapidly. His time is October and November.
The nebula on Baikal
Most often, fogs occur on the lake in July; this is facilitated by the
type of Baikal
climate . But other months are also subject to this phenomenon. Fog happens due to the fact that heated air descends on a cool water surface. Collectively, condensation forms. In the cold season, fog formation is associated with moisture evaporation. It can be observed in calm, low wind weather. Usually it occurs at dawn and lasts five, six hours in duration. Sometimes it can last up to two days, and then disappear. Often you can observe a dense fog, which slightly above (at an altitude of 100 meters) grows into clouds. A little higher, these clouds turn cumulus. Very rarely do 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.