Altai climate: a general characteristic. Altai climate type

The Altai Territory is a real pearl of Siberia. There are few corners on our planet that would compare in beauty with the mountain ranges of this area. After all, nature here is beautiful and unique. Many tourists from Europe compare the Altai Territory with Switzerland. And this is not surprising.

The main characteristics of the Altai climate

The climate of Altai has its own peculiarities. Several factors influence its formation. First of all, it is necessary to note the geographical location of the Altai Territory, as well as the complex terrain. The height here ranges from 350-4500 meters. In general, for the area is characterized by a sharp continental temperate climate. In this case, there is a pronounced contrast between the cold long and warm short seasons of the year.

In addition, there are completely different climatic conditions for the plains, lowland parts and foothill areas. Such a differentiation is due to differences in the exposure of mountain slopes and in absolute altitude, as well as the peculiarities of the circulation of the atmosphere.

Why is the climate on the western and eastern slopes of Altai different?

The formation of climate in this area is affected by several major factors:

1. The nature of the underlying surface.
2. Circulation of air masses.
3. The amount of solar radiation.

Do not forget that the Altai Territory is located in the middle belt of the temperate northern climatic belt. Throughout the year, light and heat are uneven. To determine the type of Altai climate , it is necessary to consider all the features of its location.

In summer the height of the sun here reaches 60-66 degrees. The light day lasts about 17 hours. In winter, the height of the sun above the horizons is not more than 20 degrees. At the same time, the light day is reduced several times. Naturally, as a result of such phenomena throughout the year, changes in the amount of solar radiation occur. The northern regions of the Altai Territory receive only 90 kcal per square meter, and the southern regions - about 120 kcal.

Sun and climate

It should be noted that the same amount of total solar radiation is received by regions of Russia with a warm climate. In addition, if you compare the time of sunshine in the Altai Territory with the same indicators in the southern parts of the country, then in Altai this indicator is much higher. In this case, the terrain can be compared with the North Caucasus or the Crimea. The climate of Altai is unique.

The northern slopes of mountain ranges and deep valleys receive the least amount of sunlight and heat. It is for this reason that you should choose the right parking place. After all, the eastern slopes of the Altai Mountains are illuminated about an hour and a half earlier than the western slopes. Also note that in the first half of the day, cloudiness is negligible. At a sufficiently high intensity of radiation emitted by the sun, you can get severe burns. The probability increases when you are on glaciers and snowfields.

Altai's climate and air masses

The climate of the Altai Territory is heavily influenced by air currents. After all, the process of atmospheric circulation is one of the main natural factors. A lot of different streams come to Altai. They collide, mix, interact and form an unstable and rapidly changing weather.

Altai's climate for months is very difficult to paint. Over this area, several air streams collide. The main is continental-moderate. It has pronounced properties. In summer, hot and dry air prevails here, and in winter it is marine, temperate and cold, passing thousands of kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. To the south from the north, in the opposite direction, air masses also move. In this case, continental-arctic air prevails. Flows often come from Central Asia. Tropical continental air masses predominate here. If this happens, then the spring in the Altai comes early, and the summer is always arid and very hot.

Relief and climate

The climate of Altai also depends on the terrain. In this case, several vertical zones are formed:

• The low-mountain climate zone is up to 600 meters.
• The zone of average climate is 500-500 meters.
• The zone of the mountainous climate is more than 2500 meters.

The relief of the edge is simply unique. In the south-east and south of the Altai there are high mountain ranges, from which the amphitheater gradually decreases to the north-west and north. At the same time, a free path opens up for Arctic air currents, which extend far to the south, into the valleys located between the ridges, across the entire Altai territory.

Moisture and Relief

The climate of the Altai mountain depends on many factors. The relief has a strong influence on the nature of soil moistening. From the west to the territory of the Altai, the streams of sea air are moving. However, their way is blocked by mountain ranges. As a result, most of the precipitation falls on the western slopes. On the eastern side, as well as in the interior of the Altai Territory, moist air practically does not penetrate. It is for this reason that the arid climate is formed here.

It is worth noting that such air masses bring to the plains cyclonic weather. It is for this reason that the Bieh-Chumysh Upland and the Priobskoe Plateau receive significantly less precipitation than other territories, among which the Kulunda lowland.

Precipitation

What is it, the climate of Altai? Photos of this region are simply amazing with its beauty. It is difficult to believe that the climate here is unstable and the weather can dramatically change. It should be noted that in this area there is an uneven distribution of precipitation. However, in this case there is a certain pattern. The amount of precipitation gradually increases in the direction from east to west. The most humid area is the basin of the Western Altai. In a year here drops out more than 2000 millimeters. Significantly less moisture goes to the north-eastern territories of the region. A minimum of precipitation falls in the region of the intra-mountain basins of the Eastern and Central Altai. This total figure per year does not exceed 200 millimeters. The most arid place in the Altai Territory is the Chuya steppe. Here falls from 100 to 150 millimeters of precipitation a year.

It is worth noting that the distribution of moisture from the pores of the year does not depend, and this indicator is also uneven. In winter, about 40% of all precipitation falls in the western parts of the region. As a result, the thickness of the snow cover can reach up to 3 meters in some places, and in the central part - about 5 meters. In this area there is a danger for climbers. The snow cover here is easily redistributed and transported. As a result, on the slopes and ledges, which are located on the leeward side, cornices and inflatable are formed. Climbing in such places carries a danger for climbers. In addition, it should be borne in mind that in the mountains of Altai there are avalanche gorges and canyons, in which the spring avalanches increase. March in this case is the most dangerous month.

Temperature in Altai

The climate of Altai in summer and winter has certain differences for different regions of the region. And there are explanations for this. The Altai Territory is located almost in the center of the Eurasian continent. It is thousands of kilometers distant from the ocean. In the warm season, the soil is much warmer here. The air temperature in the Altai is very high, and the summer is hot. In the winter, however, the opposite is true. During this period there is a significant and fairly rapid cooling of the continent. As a result, a Siberian anticyclone is formed in the north-east of Siberia - a high-pressure region. Air flows move west, passing through the territory of the whole region. For the Altai winter, low temperatures are typical, as well as frosty and clear weather.

Finally

On the plains and in the mountains, the elements of climate have quite specific features. With altitude, the temperature and pressure decrease, but the amount of precipitation and cloudiness, on the contrary, increase. Over the Altai Territory, as a rule, several types of climate are formed simultaneously, as well as a variety of microclimatic conditions. After all, here it is noted not only the complex location of the mountain ranges, but also significant fluctuations in altitude. The air masses above the mountains are very different from air masses above the plain. A unique feature of the Altai Territory is the climatic warm "oases". In such places there are no very strong frosts, and also stable snow cover. After all, the wind is constantly blowing here.