Climate Mongolia
Due to its geographical location and average altitude of 1,500 meters, Mongolia's climate is continental to the extreme, with highly contrasting seasons. The climate is mountainous, with no maritime influence. It is generally sunny, dry and windy in all seasons.
Mongolian summers are mild and rainy, with average temperatures ranging from 20 to 25°C. Winters, on the other hand, are bitterly cold, and it's not uncommon for the mercury to dip below -40°C in some regions. In Ulaanbaatar, the average winter temperature is -19°C, making it the coldest capital in the world!
Aptly nicknamed the "land of blue skies", Mongolia enjoys 257 days of sunshine a year and little precipitation. In the north of the country, rainfall averages between 20 and 35 cm, and decreases the further south you go, in the extremely arid Gobi Desert.
The summer
From mid-May to the end of August, summer is undoubtedly the best season for tourism, despite the precipitation. Although the latter are concentrated in July and August, they are generally short-lived, except in the north of the country, around Lake Khovsgol, where it can rain for days on end.
Average summer temperatures are around 25°C, but can vary drastically according to region and altitude. The mountain ranges enjoy a much more temperate climate, while the south of the country, covered by the Gobi Desert, burns at temperatures that can reach 40°C. At night, the temperature can drop to -30°C.
Whether due to the contrast between day and night or to altitude, temperature variations mean you need to bring clothing for all types of weather, even in summer. In this season, the days are very long: the sun rises around 5 a.m. and doesn't set until 10:30 p.m.
Winter
From November to February, Mongolia's winters experience extreme temperatures. On average, the thermostat reads -24°C, but can fall as low as -40°C. Snowfalls are frequent but light, except in the north of the country. Nevertheless, some winters are affected by white züds, heavy snowfalls that make grazing impossible, exposing animals to hunger and cold. Between 2000 and 2002, three consecutive winters were hit by particularly deadly züds, which caused the death of 11 million head of livestock and affected thousands of herders and their families, putting them at risk of starvation and poverty. In recent years, they have become increasingly frequent as a result of climate change.
Despite the unfavorable conditions for tourism, even the most seasoned travelers will be able to stay in Mongolia in winter, provided they have the right equipment and are in good physical condition.
Autumn and spring
The shoulder seasons are particularly short in Mongolia, with the transition from summer to winter taking place in a matter of weeks. Autumn begins as early as September and ends in October, while spring lasts from March to mid-May.
If the weather in Mongolia is highly changeable, this is particularly true during these two periods. Both spring and autumn experience extreme climatic variations: temperatures can rise and fall by as much as ten degrees in the space of a few hours. You can experience all four seasons in the space of a day!
In autumn, temperatures plummet, especially at night, which can be freezing. The atmosphere rapidly cools, dissipating the mildness of summer. It can start to freeze, or even snow, as early as September!
Spring is marked by violent winds that can form spectacular sandstorms, particularly in the border regions of the Gobi Desert, where they occur 30 days a year. With milder temperatures, which rise above zero again, spring also corresponds to the start of the snowmelt. Between impassable fords and muddy roads, you need to be prepared for every eventuality when traveling in the country in April.
