Mongolia Climate
Top 5 Cities: Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Darkhan, Choibalsan, and Mörön
This month in numbers
Mongolia experienced its 4th warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 6.26°C, a significant anomaly of +3.8°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. The global land temperature for April 2026 also ranked as the 2nd warmest on record, with an anomaly of +1.1°C.
What changed
The period from February to April 2026 saw Mongolia record its 10th warmest such period on record, with an average temperature of -4.28°C, an anomaly of +2.6°C. This warming trend in Mongolia aligns with a broader pattern, as the global land temperature for the same three-month period ranked as the 2nd warmest on record. Mongolia's latest monthly anomaly of +3.75°C places it 16th globally out of 234 regions.
What’s driving change?
Mongolia has been experiencing a severe winter phenomenon known as "dzud," characterised by extreme cold, heavy snowfall, and frozen ground, which has led to significant livestock mortality. This winter, from November 2025 to April 2026, saw temperatures consistently above average, with April being particularly warm. Despite the warmer temperatures, the impacts of the dzud were still felt, with over 26,000 livestock perishing in January alone, and hazardous strong winds, dust storms, and snowstorms affecting multiple provinces in February. These dust storms continued into April, impacting visibility and air quality across the region and extending into northern China. The long-term warming trend in Mongolia, nearly three times the global average, contributes to the increased frequency and intensity of dzuds, as well as prolonged droughts and sandstorms. The country's president recently highlighted pasture degradation due to climate change and soil degradation as a major challenge for cattle breeders.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate models and projections anticipate summer 2026 to be warmer than average across northern Asia, with a persistent heat dome expected over much of northern China and Mongolia for the first two weeks of June.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Mongolia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Mongolia changing?
Mongolia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Mongolia come from?
Climate data for Mongolia comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Mongolia climate data cover?
The Mongolia climate profile covers Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Darkhan, Choibalsan and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Mongolia
How often is the Mongolia climate update refreshed?
The Mongolia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.