Climate

The main feature of Mongolia's climate is its extreme continental nature. The world watershed that crosses Mongolia’s northern regions divides the country into two unequal parts with dissimilar climates. The northern section continues the East Siberian natural scenery whilst the southern section, taking up two thirds of the country's area, belongs to and the desert and semi-desert of Central Asia. However, deserts constitute a comparatively small part of the area, as the country lies rather high above sea level. An average year sees 250 fine and only 9 to 23 cloudy days. The period in which average daily temperatures are of above 0'C lasts about 170-190 days, rising to 200-215 days in the south and southeast.
All of Mongolia reaches its maximum temperature in July. The average temperature in this period ranges from +12'C up to +20'C for most of the country, rising up to +25'C in the south. The absolute maximum temperature reaches +35'C- +39'C in the northern regions and +38'C- +41'C in the southern regions.
The absolute minimum temperature comes in January. The average January temperature is below -15'C for most of the country and below -25'C in the north. On some days the temperature can fall to -30'C to -35'C and even up - 45'C, -50'C. For instance in December 1954, the temperature in Ulaanbaatar hit -49'C. Some stations and posts recorded temperatures as low as -50'C to -53'C.
The average monthly soil surface temperature in winter is 1'C-4'C below the average monthly temperature and in summer months 4'C-6'C above. The absolute minimum soil surface temperature is -52'C to -54'C, and the absolute maximum +67'C to +69'C.
The average annual wind velocity ranges from 2-3 meters per second for most of Mongolia's territory to 5 meters per second in the far southeast. In the course of a year much calm is registered; this is one of the essential features of wind flows. The number of high-wind days (above 15 meters per second) ranges from 3 to 45 days a year.
Precipitation is spread extremely unevenly across the seasons. During the cold six months (October-March) 8-10 per cent of total annual precipitations fall; 65 to 78 per cent falls in the three summer months. The month with the lowest precipitation is January, that with the highest, July.
The number of rainy days averages 15-20 days, but there are more than 30 on average in east and about 50 in the north. The number of dry days per year ranges widely, from 90 up to 220 and even 250 days in the far north.
The number of snow-cover days ranges from 140-150 in the northwest regions through more than 100 in the Khangai and Khentii mountain ranges and the Selenge river basin to 35-45 snow-cover days in the south.