Colder winter expected across most of Mongolia in coming winter

ULAN BATOR, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) — Most parts of Mongolia are predicted to experience colder temperatures than the long-term average during the upcoming winter, according to the National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring on Saturday.
“During the upcoming winter months, most regions of Mongolia, particularly in the eastern part of the country, are expected to experience temperatures below the long-term average, along with increased precipitation,” the weather monitoring agency said, urging the public, especially nomadic herders, to take necessary preparations for the winter ahead.
Last winter, Mongolia faced extreme wintry conditions known as dzud, accompanied by record snowfall — the largest since 1975 — with around 90 percent of the territory covered in snow up to 100 centimeters thick.
The harsh weather conditions last winter resulted in the deaths of at least 7,949,400 livestock animals across the Asian country, accounting for over 10 percent of Mongolia’s total livestock population, according to the National Statistics Office.
“Dzud” is a Mongolian term to describe a severely cold winter when a large number of livestock animals die because the ground is frozen or covered in snow.
Mongolia’s climate is characterized by a strong continental influence, featuring long, frigid winters and short, warm summers. Temperatures around minus 25 degrees Celsius are considered normal during winter. ■