Climate of Yakutsk: characteristics

The Russian city of Yakutsk is considered the largest in the region of permafrost. Here you can see the world's largest temperature changes, a unique combination of summer heat and freezing frost. The climate of Yakutsk is very contrasting and at the same time severe. There is very low humidity, but fogs often fall. In summer there are white nights, and in winter the sun hardly rises above the horizon. And now let's get to know in detail what the climate in Yakutsk is, consider the weather in the city in different months and conduct a small survey.

Geographical location of the city

In size, Yakutsk is the third city in the Far Eastern Federal District after Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. It is located in the middle reaches of the Lena River on its left bank, in the Tuymaada valley. Yakutsk is located slightly north of the 62nd degree of northern latitude, therefore, practically on the border of the Arctic Circle. For this reason in the summer, white nights are considered ordinary here, but in the winter the sun is almost invisible. The light day at this time lasts no more than 3 hours. In many respects, the type of climate in Yakutsk has been formed at the expense of the natural zone in which it is located - permafrost. In the conditions of a flat relief and remoteness from the oceans, the sharp temperature differences, seasonal and diurnal, characteristic for this region were formed.

Average weather indicators

The climate of Yakutsk, as mentioned above, is sharply continental, and there is a city in the temperate zone. The average annual temperature here is -8.8 degrees, the average wind speed is 1.7 m / sec, the average air humidity is 69%. It is noteworthy that the winter in Yakutsk is long and severe, from October to April there are severe frosts and there is never a thaw. Summer is very short - from July to August, but with a sultry, which is not always typical of the permafrost region. Such a contrasting climate in the city of Yakutsk has caused the world's maximum temperature amplitude, which is 102.8 degrees. Since we have already briefly become acquainted with the weather conditions of this area, we turn to a more detailed description of each individual season.

Winter

The first serious frosts begin with the advent of October. By the middle of the month the thermometers are lowered to -20 and lower. Snow begins to fall, which does not melt, the light day is significantly reduced. The winter climate of Yakutsk, starting from December, becomes especially severe. Frosts reach -35 and even -40, but the amount of precipitation decreases. In January and February, the air temperature drops as low as -50, the snow stops. Mostly clear weather prevails over the city, but due to very low temperature thick fogs are formed. Reduction of the mercury column is observed in the second half of March - up to -20 and above, and by the end of April the winter ends.

Spring

This season within the polar latitudes is extremely short and not flowering at all. The air starts to warm up in early May first to 0, then the temperature rises to +7 and by the end of the month reaches +12. The sunny day increases, the snow cover completely comes off. In fairness, it should be noted that after the warming in May, June may present unpleasant surprises. At the beginning of the calendar summer, the climate of Yakutsk is unstable, so do not be surprised by "summer snow" and night frosts during this period.

Summer

The hottest period for the city comes in late June, when the air temperature rises to +25 on average. Summer in Yakutsk is very hot and dry, precipitation is extremely rare. In recent years it has been repeatedly recorded that at the height of the day in the city thermometers showed up to +40 ⁰ Celsius. But it is worth noting that the daily fluctuations here are incredibly high. At night it is always cool, the air cools down to +18 - +20. Additionally, we note that frosts are not excluded. By mid-August it starts to cool, the amount of precipitation increases, the weather ceases to be clear, sunny and warm.

Autumn

In the second half of August, the thermometer columns rarely rise above +15. On the street it is almost always cloudy, and at night there are often frosts. Every day more and more it gets colder, fogs appear, rains fall out. By mid-September, the air temperature is already 0 and below, and at night it can reach -10. By the end of the month, snow often starts to snow, but it does not yet form a stable cover. Yakutsk is a city in which there is no such thing as a golden autumn. Frosts come quickly and unexpectedly, so the trees are barely lightning fast. In October, the frosts begin again, which last till the middle of calendar spring.

"Demisezony"

For residents of the temperate continental zone, four seasons are common, which are equal in duration and have their own unique features. But the characteristic of Yakutsk's climate is that there are no turning seasons. Spring and autumn are calendar concepts, but in fact they are completely invisible. The fact is that winter frosts, which recede at the end of April, are replaced by a sharp arrival of heat. Literally for one month, the temperature rises from -5 on average to +25. At the end of the summer, the situation is similar. In August, sharp nocturnal frosts begin, which gradually cool the air and help reduce the daytime temperature. For the same short period of time - in a month the heat turns into a severe frost. The air quickly cools, and the earth is covered with a thick layer of snow cover.

Nature of the Yakutsk region

This amazing and contrasting city is in the plain in the valley of Tuymaada. In addition to the Lena River, on the left bank of which it is located, there are a number of lakes nearby: Warm, Sisary, Taloe, Sergeli and Khatyn-Yuryakh. The soil in the city is mostly sandy, near the reservoirs grow mainly reeds. Steppe areas are dotted with various herbs and shrubs. Around the town is a coniferous-deciduous taiga, which is located on a slightly hilly ground. It is due to the fact that the terrain here is flat, the sharp continental climate was able to prove itself in all its glory. The air masses are not restrained by the mountains, near there are no large saline reservoirs in which warm cyclones could form. Yakutsk is a vivid example of climatic diversity and incredible weather contrast.