Lake Baikal's Freezing Delayed by Unusually Warm Weather

Source: https://www.irmeteo.ru

Unusually warm weather this winter has delayed the freezing of Lake Baikal, the Irkutsk Hydrometeorological Service reported.

"Lake Baikal always freezes unevenly, and this year the formation of ice on the lake is complex, with a significant strengthening of the westerly air flow shifting the freezing dates to later periods," the report said.

As noted in the report, the air temperature in November and December determines the intensity of heat loss from the water surface and the rate of cooling of the upper layer of water.

According to meteorologists, since the beginning of winter, warm weather has been observed in the region on most days. This is mainly the result of an active latitudinal zone, in which warm air masses, breaking through to Siberia from the Atlantic regions, are transferred.

"Therefore, in all months of this not yet completed winter, an elevated temperature regime was observed: the average monthly air temperatures were 3-5 degrees Celsius higher than usual. These circumstances undoubtedly affect the timing of the freezing of Lake Baikal," the report says.

According to experts, the northern part of the lake, due to lower temperatures and low water content, has already begun to cover with ice. Ice formation in the central part of Baikal is occurring with a slight lag. In some areas, the formation of ice cover has been noted (the village of Baikalskoye), in places with the preservation of polynyas (Tompa, Khuzhir, Solnechnaya), in others, broken and underwater ice has been detected.

"It should be noted that the establishment of ice cover on the entire coast from the northern to the southern tip during the winter, as a rule, occurs in 30-35 days. The freezing of the southern part of Baikal is expected in the last decade of January," the department reported.

As experts noted, the latest date of freezing of this lake in the history of observations was noted in 1958 and in 1983 - February 3.

"Ice cover on Baikal is a unique miracle of nature! But it must be remembered that the formation of ice in the conditions of the current winter, with frequent returns of warm air waves and the prevailing atmospheric circulation, directly affects the quality and structure of the ice. Where ice thickness measurements have begun, it is noted that the ice is thin, its thickness is below normal," the meteorologists noted.

In this regard, they advise refraining from going out onto the ice in unauthorized places.