Early winter hits Mongolia as temperatures drop to -5 °C (23 °F)

Mongolia is seeing an unusually early advent of winter, with snowfall impacting several places and temperatures dropping as low as -5 °C (23 °F). 

Snow accumulations of up to 7 cm (3 inches) have been reported in provinces such as Khuvsgul, Selenge, Bulgan, Orkhon, and Darkhan-Uul in the north, as well as Zavkhan, Khovd, Tuv, and Arkhangai in the west and center. Ulaanbaatar, the capital city, is forecast to experience milder daytime temperatures but colder nights. 

The country’s nomadic herders, farmers, and people of various northern, western, and central provinces have been particularly affected by the abrupt drop in temperature and early snowfall.

This unexpected weather shift is creating concerns about the impact on agriculture, particularly frost, which threatens crops and stored vegetables.

The early snowfall began on September 18, and temperatures continued to plummet until September 19. More snowfall and chilly weather were predicted throughout the weekend.

Mongolia’s climate is largely affected by continental circumstances, with long, harsh winters and short, mild summers. This early winter arrival can be linked to a sudden shift in weather patterns, hastening the transition from autumn to winter. A high-pressure system above the region is adding to the cold and snow.

The cold snap and snowfall occurred due to the quick cooling of air masses across Mongolia and precipitation changing into snow in locations with higher elevations and lower overnight temperatures. 

The National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring has issued frost warnings and advised herders and farmers to prepare for winter weather.

References:

¹ Mongolia experiences sudden drop in temperature, early snowfall – daijiworld.com – September 21, 2024

² Ulaanbaatar is expected to be 17 degrees Celsius during the day – MongoliaBeat – September 19, 2024

Harsha Borah

Harsha Borah is an experienced content writer with a proven track record in the industry. Harsha has worked with LitSpark Solutions and Whateveryourdose, honing skills in creating engaging content across various platforms. A gold medalist in a state-level writing competition organized by Assam Tourism, Harsha’s travelogue on Tezpur was widely appreciated. Harsha’s article, "The Dark Tale of the Only Judge in India to Be Hanged," ranks second on Google and has garnered over 11 000 views and 8 900 reads on Medium. Outside of writing, Harsha enjoys reading books and solving jigsaw puzzles.

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