Climate

The mean elevation of Mongolia is about 1500 meters above sealevel (5000 ft) which enhances the sharp continental climate. For most of the year it is very cold, especially at night. Precipitation is low and skies are usually clear during the wintertime. Summers, however, are very pleasant just as in the US and Europe. There is a short rainy season in July and August during which most of the yearly rain falls. Around 67-78 percent of all precipitation falls during the three summer months. This rain, however, is just what we get in northern Europe, at about the same time. Occasional strong winds can come and go quickly. Spring and fall pass very quickly.

In Mongolia the Central Asian desert zones meet with the Siberian taiga. Hence, Mongolia is a country of climatic extremes. Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city on Earth. Mongolia is known as the Land of the Blue Sky. Indeed, this is true throughout the winter. Throughout the year, there are 250 sunny days and 9-23 cloudy days. The duration of the period with a mean daily temperature higher than the freezing point lasts about 170-190 days, increasing to the south and southeast up to 200-215 days.

The summer climate, when most visitors are likely to be in Mongolia, could be described as being similar to Scandinavian summers. However, with somewhat more pronounced extremes. E.g. when raining it tend be heavier and shorter. If extended they can cause floods locally. When a cold front comes, hail storms can come and go quickly. There may be more heat, and sudden strong winds. All in all, the weather pattern is very variable over short periods of time. In July 1996 some parts of Mongolia had drought, whereas at the same time other areas had floods and more rain than normal.