, with frigid winters and warm summers.
Ulan-Ude is a city of 440,000 inhabitants, the capital of Buryatia, located in Russia, in southern Siberia, at 500 meters (1,650 feet) above sea level and almost 52 degrees north latitude.
The Selenga River, which receives the waters of the Uda River near Ulan-Ude, about a hundred kilometers (62 miles) to the west flows into
, 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.
is not abundant, amounting to about 250 millimeters (10 inches) per year. The only fairly rainy season is summer. In fact, Ulan-Ude is one of the driest cities in Siberia. Only the Arctic and subarctic zones receive less precipitation, but they also have less evaporation.
Furthermore, due to its location within a large continent, the climate is characterized by
, from November to March, is very cold: the average temperature in January is about -23 °C (-9 °F). Due to the very dry winter, snowfalls are light and not abundant. However, since the temperature is almost always below freezing, the ground is usually covered with snow.
, the temperature drops below -30 °C (-22 °F) every year, and once every few years below -40 °C (-40 °F). The coldest record is -54.4 °C (-65.9 °F), set in January 1931. Since then, however, the temperature has never dropped below -50 °C (-58 °F), but only to -48.8 °C (-55.8 °F) in January 1947.
, from June to August, is quite warm and sunny, even though rains and thunderstorms are quite frequent. The average in July is around 21 °C (70 °F). This area is partially affected by the Asian monsoon, in fact, in July and August, the sunshine amount decreases a little.
, during which the temperature can reach 38/40 °C (100/104 °F). The highest record is 40.6 °C (105.1 °F), set in July 2016.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-22.8 °C, with a minimum of
-27.6 °C and a maximum of
-18 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-36 °C. However, it dropped to
-41.7 °C in January 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-7.5 °C. However, it reached
-0.4 °C in January 2002.
Precipitation amounts to only
4.3 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 3.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 44% of the time.
The average humidity is 73%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
4.4 kph.
February is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-17 °C, with a minimum of
-23.5 °C and a maximum of
-10.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-33 °C. However, it dropped to
-42.6 °C in February 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-1.5 °C. However, it reached
2.3 °C in February 2008.
Precipitation amounts to only
2.4 mm, and all occurs in one day.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 55% of the time.
The average humidity is 72%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.4 kph.
March is generally a freezing cold month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
-6.9 °C, with a minimum of
-13.6 °C and a maximum of
-0.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-25.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-31.4 °C in March 2010.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
10 °C. However, it reached
16.6 °C in March 2002.
Precipitation amounts to only
3.2 mm, and all occurs in one day.
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 62%.
The average wind speed is of
8.6 kph.
April is generally a cold month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
3.3 °C, with a minimum of
-3.4 °C and a maximum of
10 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-11 °C. However, it dropped to
-16 °C in April 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21 °C. However, it reached
26.4 °C in April 2000.
Precipitation amounts to only
5.9 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 59% of the time.
The average humidity is 47%.
The average wind speed is of
13.2 kph.
May is generally a mild month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
11.2 °C, with a minimum of
3.8 °C and a maximum of
18.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-7.1 °C in May 2001.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
29.5 °C. However, it reached
34.2 °C in May 1992.
Precipitation amounts to
19.4 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 59% of the time.
The average humidity is 45%.
The average wind speed is of
14 kph.
June is generally a warm month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
18.1 °C, with a minimum of
11 °C and a maximum of
25.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-3.9 °C in June 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
34 °C. However, it reached
40 °C in June 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
36.6 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 35 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 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 58% of the time.
The average humidity is 52%.
The average wind speed is of
11.8 kph.
July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
20.8 °C, with a minimum of
14.5 °C and a maximum of
27.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
5.4 °C in July 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35 °C. However, it reached
39.5 °C in July 1997.
Precipitation amounts to
67.3 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 16 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 54% of the time.
The average humidity is 60%.
The average wind speed is of
10.2 kph.
August is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
18 °C, with a minimum of
12 °C and a maximum of
24 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5 °C. However, it dropped to
1.2 °C in August 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
32 °C. However, it reached
36.5 °C in August 2002.
Precipitation amounts to
65.5 mm, distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 35 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 55% of the time.
The average humidity is 66%.
The average wind speed is of
9.3 kph.
September is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.5 °C, with a minimum of
4.4 °C and a maximum of
16.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.4 °C in September 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25.5 °C. However, it reached
32.2 °C in September 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
26.9 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 56% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
9.6 kph.
October is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
1.6 °C, with a minimum of
-3.9 °C and a maximum of
7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-13.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-22.4 °C in October 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17 °C. However, it reached
21.6 °C in October 2004.
Precipitation amounts to only
7.8 mm, distributed over 2 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 51% of the time.
The average humidity is 65%.
The average wind speed is of
8.3 kph.
November is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-9.6 °C, with a minimum of
-14.2 °C and a maximum of
-5.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-25 °C. However, it dropped to
-30.4 °C in November 2012.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
4.5 °C. However, it reached
10.4 °C in November 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
10 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 43% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
7.1 kph.
December is generally a freezing cold month. The average temperature is of
-19.5 °C, with a minimum of
-23.8 °C and a maximum of
-15.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-33 °C. However, it dropped to
-37.5 °C in December 2009.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
-5 °C. However, it reached
3 °C in December 2005.
Precipitation amounts to only
9.2 mm, distributed over 3 days.
The day lasts on average 7 hours and 55 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 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
5.3 kph.