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Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours
The climate of Irkutsk is
continental (according to the Köppen classification, humid continental climate with warm summers - Dfb), with very cold winters, during which the temperature is normally below freezing, and warm summers.
Irkutsk is a city of 585,000 inhabitants, the capital of the oblast' of the same name, located in central Siberia, along the Trans-Siberian Railway, at 440 meters (1,445 feet) above sea level and at 52 degrees north latitude.
The Angara River passes through the city, and is the only outlet of
Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake in the world and the second longest, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is located 455 meters (1,490 feet) above sea level.
The surface of the lake freezes from January to early May in the southern part, near Irkutsk, and until early June in the northern part. From mid-January to mid-April, it is possible to walk on the lake and also move around by light vehicles. During summer, the lake temperature is generally cold, but varies greatly depending on the location (it is warmer in the areas further away from the tributaries). On the lake, a strong wind, called Sarma, can blow.
The lake tempers Irkutsk's climate somewhat, which, while harsh, is a bit milder than cities further east such as Ulan-Ude and Chita.
West of Irkutsk are the
East Sayan Mountains, whose highest peak is the
Munku-Sardyk, at 3,491 meters (11,453 ft), and the Tunka National Park. South of the lake are the Khamar-Daban Mountains.
About 210 kilometers (130 miles) south of Irkutsk, across the lake, is the border with Mongolia.
Precipitation in Irkutsk is not abundant, since it amounts to about 575 millimeters (22.5 inches) per year.
The rainiest season is summer.
Furthermore, due to the distance from all seas and the absence of obstacles for air masses, the climate is characterized by
temperature swings.
Winter, from November to March, is very cold: the average temperature in January is about -17 °C (1.5 °F). The sky is often cloudy, and light snow often falls. The ground is usually covered in snow. During periods of stable weather, fog can form.
During
cold spells, the temperature drops below -30 °C (-22 °F) almost every year, and once every few years below -40 °C (-40 °F). The record is -49.7 °C (-57.5 °F), set in January 1915. After 1930, however, the temperature never dropped below -45 °C (-49 °F) again.
In January 1969, the monthly daily average was -26.6 °C (-15.9 °F).
Summer, from June to August, is quite warm and sunny, even though it gets cool at night, moreover, rains and thunderstorms are quite frequent. The average in July is around 19 °C (66 °F).
Sometimes there can be
hot periodos, during which the temperature can approach 35 °C (95 °F). The record is 35.7 °C (96.3 °F), set in late June 2010.
Irkutsk - Climate data
In Irkutsk, the
average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of -17.2 °C (1.1 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 19.6 °C (67.3 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
Irkutsk - Average temperatures (1991-2020) |
| Month | Min | Max | Mean |
|---|
| January | -21.5 | -12.8 | -17.2 |
|---|
| February | -19.1 | -7.5 | -13.3 |
|---|
| March | -11.1 | 1.2 | -5 |
|---|
| April | -1.9 | 10.5 | 4.3 |
|---|
| May | 3.7 | 18.1 | 10.9 |
|---|
| June | 10.1 | 23.8 | 17 |
|---|
| July | 13.5 | 25.7 | 19.6 |
|---|
| August | 11.4 | 22.9 | 17.2 |
|---|
| September | 4.6 | 16.1 | 10.4 |
|---|
| October | -2.4 | 7.9 | 2.8 |
|---|
| November | -11.6 | -2.8 | -7.2 |
|---|
| December | -18.9 | -10.7 | -14.8 |
|---|
| Year | -3.5 | 7.8 | 2.1 |
|---|
amounts to 475 millimeters (18.7 inches) per year: it is therefore quite scarce. It ranges from 9.3 mm (0.4 in) in the driest month (February) to 106.4 mm (4.2 in) in the wettest one (July). Here is the average precipitation.
Irkutsk - Average precipitation| Month | Days |
|---|
| January | 14 | 5 |
|---|
| February | 9 | 3 |
|---|
| March | 12 | 4 |
|---|
| April | 21 | 5 |
|---|
| May | 36 | 7 |
|---|
| June | 69 | 8 |
|---|
| July | 106 | 10 |
|---|
| August | 96 | 9 |
|---|
| September | 53 | 9 |
|---|
| October | 21 | 5 |
|---|
| November | 20 | 6 |
|---|
| December | 19 | 6 |
|---|
| Year | 475 | 77 |
|---|
There are on average around 2305
sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.
Irkutsk - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
| January | 3.5 | 110 |
|---|
| February | 5.5 | 160 |
|---|
| March | 7.5 | 225 |
|---|
| April | 8.5 | 250 |
|---|
| May | 9 | 275 |
|---|
| June | 9 | 275 |
|---|
| July | 8.5 | 270 |
|---|
| August | 7.5 | 235 |
|---|
| September | 6 | 180 |
|---|
| October | 5 | 155 |
|---|
| November | 3 | 95 |
|---|
| December | 2.5 | 75 |
|---|
| Year | 6.3 | 2305 |
|---|
Irkutsk - Weather by month
Based on the period 1991-2020
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-17.2 °C, with a minimum of
-21.5 °C and a maximum of
-12.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-33 °C. However, it dropped to
-42.8 °C in January 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-4 °C. However, it reached
1.3 °C in January 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
14.3 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 42% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
8.9 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of -13.3 °C, with a minimum of -19.1 °C and a maximum of -7.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -29 °C. However, it dropped to -40.6 °C in February 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 2.5 °C. However, it reached 8.2 °C in February 2002.
Precipitation amounts to only 9.3 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 57% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 9.7 kph.
March is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -5 °C, with a minimum of -11.1 °C and a maximum of 1.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -24 °C. However, it dropped to -30.2 °C in March 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 11.5 °C. However, it reached 20 °C in March 1994.
Precipitation amounts to 11.8 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 61% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of 11.5 kph.
April is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 4.3 °C, with a minimum of -1.9 °C and a maximum of 10.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -10 °C. However, it dropped to -17.8 °C in April 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 22 °C. However, it reached 29 °C in April 2017.
Precipitation amounts to 21.4 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 59% of the time.
The average humidity is 53%.
The average wind speed is of 14.4 kph.
May is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 10.9 °C, with a minimum of 3.7 °C and a maximum of 18.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -3 °C. However, it dropped to -5.8 °C in May 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 28.5 °C. However, it reached 33.5 °C in May 1999.
Precipitation amounts to 36.1 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 56% of the time.
The average humidity is 51%.
The average wind speed is of 14.8 kph.
June is generally a very mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of 17 °C, with a minimum of 10.1 °C and a maximum of 23.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3 °C. However, it dropped to -2 °C in June 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 31.5 °C. However, it reached 35.6 °C in June 2010.
Precipitation amounts to 69.4 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 55% of the time.
The average humidity is 63%.
The average wind speed is of 12.3 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of 19.6 °C, with a minimum of 13.5 °C and a maximum of 25.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 7.5 °C. However, it dropped to 4 °C in July 2007.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 32 °C. However, it reached 35.3 °C in July 2002.
Precipitation amounts to 106.4 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 53% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 10.5 kph.
August is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 17.2 °C, with a minimum of 11.4 °C and a maximum of 22.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 5 °C. However, it dropped to -0.5 °C in August 2017.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 29.5 °C. However, it reached 34.7 °C in August 2015.
Precipitation amounts to 96.1 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 7.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 52% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 11.1 kph.
September is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 10.4 °C, with a minimum of 4.6 °C and a maximum of 16.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -3 °C. However, it dropped to -6.9 °C in September 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 25 °C. However, it reached 29.7 °C in September 2015.
Precipitation amounts to 52.6 mm, distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 48% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 11.9 kph.
October is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of 2.8 °C, with a minimum of -2.4 °C and a maximum of 7.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -12.5 °C. However, it dropped to -25.9 °C in October 2014.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 18 °C. However, it reached 24.5 °C in October 2004.
Precipitation amounts to 21 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 48% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 11.6 kph.
November is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of -7.2 °C, with a minimum of -11.6 °C and a maximum of -2.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -25.5 °C. However, it dropped to -32.8 °C in November 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 8 °C. However, it reached 14.4 °C in November 2013.
Precipitation amounts to 20 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 36% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 10.6 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of -14.8 °C, with a minimum of -18.9 °C and a maximum of -10.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -31.5 °C. However, it dropped to -37.6 °C in December 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around -1 °C. However, it reached 5.3 °C in December 2013.
Precipitation amounts to 18.8 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 7 hours and 50 minutes. So the days are short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 31% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of 8.6 kph.