Climate[edit]

Irkutsk originally had a borderline subarctic climate (Kppen climate classification Dwc), but since 2000 the city warmed to
a humid continental climate (Kppen climate classification Dwb). Snow cover disappeared earlier, from late April in the 1930s to
late March in the 1980s. Discontinuous permafrost depth had decreased from 200 m to 100 m. Irkutsk is characterized by an
extreme variation of temperatures between seasons. It can be very warm in the summer, and very cold in the winter. However,
Lake Baikal has its effect, such that temperatures in Irkutsk are not as extreme as elsewhere in Siberia. The warmest month of
the year in Irkutsk is July, when the average temperature is +18 C (64 F), the highest temperature recorded being +37.2 C
(99.0 F). The coldest month of the year is January, when the average temperature is 18 C (0 F), and record low of 49.7 C
(57.5 F). Precipitation also varies widely throughout the year, with July also being the wettest month, when precipitation
averages 113 millimeters (4.4 in). The driest month is February, when precipitation averages only 7.6 millimeters (0.30 in).
Almost all precipitation during the Siberian winter falls as fluffy, low moisture content snow.
[hide]Climate data for Irkutsk (normals 1981-2010)
Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Record high C (F)

2.3
(36.1)

10.2
(50.4)

20.0
(68)

29.2
(84.6)

34.5 35.6
(94.1) (96.1)

37.2
(99)

Average high C (F)

12.9
(8.8)

7.9
(17.8)

0.3
(32.5)

Daily mean C (F)

17.9
(0.2)

14.6
(5.7)

Average low C (F)

22
(8)

19.8
(3.6)

Record low C (F)

49.7
(57.5)

44.7
37.3
31.8 14.3
(48.5) (35.1) (25.2) (6.3)

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

34.1 29.5
(93.4) (85.1)

24.5
(76.1)

14.4
(57.9)

4.6
(40.3)

37.2
(99)

9.4
(48.9)

18.0 22.7 24.8 22.1 15.7

(64.4) (72.9) (76.6) (71.8) (60.3)

7.7
(45.9)

2.8
(27)

10.6
(12.9)

7.2
(45)

6.5
(20.3)

2.5
(36.5)

10.2 15.4 18.2 15.8

9.1
(50.4) (59.7) (64.8) (60.4) (48.4)

1.7
(35.1)

7.7
(18.1)

15.4
(4.3)

0.9
(33.6)

12.3
(9.9)

2.9
(26.8)

3.4
9.2
12.9 10.8
4.2
(38.1) (48.6) (55.2) (51.4) (39.6)

2.7
(27.1)

11.8
(10.8)

19.3
(2.7)

4.2
(24.4)

Precipitation mm (inches)

14
(0.55)

7
(0.28)

12
(0.47)

18
(0.71)

% humidity

82

75

65

57

Mean monthly sunshine hours

93.0

140.0

207.7

222.0

6
(21)

Sep

0.4
2.7 11.9 30.5
40.4
46.3
49.7
(32.7) (27.1) (10.6) (22.9) (40.7) (51.3) (57.5)

35
75
113
93
51
(1.38) (2.95) (4.45) (3.66) (2.01)
55

67

75

78

77

266.6 264.0 241.8 217.0 183.0

Source #1: Pogoda.ru.net[13]

Source #2: HKO

22
(0.87)

20
(0.79)

17
(0.67)

477
(18.78)

73

79

84

72

151.9

93.0

62.0

2,142