Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Ulaanbaatar
Cold is the baseline in Ulaanbaatar, not the exception. Night-time lows sit at or below freezing in 7 months of the year, and the warmest month, July, still only averages 76°F (25°C) by day. January runs to -10°F (-24°C) after dark.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 76°F (25°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 10°F (-12°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · -42°F (-41°C) low
- Wettest month: August (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (12.1 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid continental
- Annual swing: 37°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 12°C
- Snow: about 15 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 7
- Average humidity: 58%
Temperatures through the year
January sits at the other end of the year: 10°F (-12°C) by day, -10°F (-24°C) at night. At its warmest, in July, Ulaanbaatar runs to 76°F (25°C) in the afternoon and back to 56°F (13°C) by dawn. Relative humidity averages 58% across the year, drier than about 88% of the cities we track.
Rain, sun and snow
Days and nights are about 12°C apart on average - wider than roughly 87% of the cities we track. 7 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running October through April. The wettest month is August (3.5 inches (90 mm) across 12 days) and the driest January. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 100°F (38°C) and bottoms at -42°F (-41°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Ulaanbaatar compares
- Ulaanbaatar averages 34°F (1°C) across the year - cooler than almost every other city we track.
- Its warmest and coolest months are 37°C apart - a wider seasonal swing than any other city in our 3496-city dataset.
- 64% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more seasonal than 94% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10° | -10° | 1 | 0.1 in | 8.0 h/day | 8.8 h | 2% | 70% |
| February | 18° | -4° | 1 | 0.1 in | 9.4 h/day | 10.2 h | 2% | 66% |
| March | 36° | 14° | 2 | 0.3 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.7 h | 6% | 46% |
| April | 49° | 27° | 5 | 0.7 in | 11.2 h/day | 13.6 h | 16% | 41% |
| May | 62° | 36° | 6 | 1.1 in | 12.0 h/day | 15.1 h | 20% | 42% |
| June | 72° | 49° | 9 | 2.1 in | 12.1 h/day | 16.0 h | 30% | 53% |
| July | 76° | 56° | 12 | 3.4 in | 11.2 h/day | 15.6 h | 40% | 62% |
| August | 71° | 51° | 12 | 3.5 in | 11.1 h/day | 14.3 h | 38% | 68% |
| September | 61° | 40° | 8 | 1.6 in | 9.8 h/day | 12.5 h | 26% | 63% |
| October | 44° | 26° | 4 | 0.5 in | 9.0 h/day | 10.7 h | 13% | 55% |
| November | 25° | 7° | 4 | 0.4 in | 7.8 h/day | 9.2 h | 12% | 60% |
| December | 11° | -6° | 1 | 0.1 in | 7.4 h/day | 8.4 h | 4% | 68% |
Ulaanbaatar month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Ulaanbaatar's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 8.8 h
February
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
March
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
April
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.6 h
- Snow
- 3 days
May
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
- Snow
- 2 days
June
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 12.1 h
- Daylight
- 16.0 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 15.6 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 14.3 h
September
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
- Snow
- 1 day
October
- Rain
- 4 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
- Snow
- 2 days
November
- Rain
- 4 days
- Sunshine
- 7.8 h
- Daylight
- 9.2 h
- Snow
- 3 days
December
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 8.4 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Ulaanbaatar
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Ulaanbaatar is brisk and cold, with daytime highs averaging 49°F (10°C) and nights around 26°F (-4°C); rain comes on about 13 days over the three months, plus about 7 snowy days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Ulaanbaatar settles into easy warmth: 73°F (23°C) by day, 52°F (11°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 33 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.5 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Ulaanbaatar is brisk and cold: 43°F (6°C) by day, 24°F (-4°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 15 days over the three months, plus about 6 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Ulaanbaatar runs to hard cold, with daytime highs averaging 13°F (-11°C) and nights around -7°F (-22°C); precipitation is sparse, near 8 mm (0.3 in) for the season. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
What should I pack for Ulaanbaatar?
How much sun does Ulaanbaatar get?
How hot does Ulaanbaatar get in summer?
Is Ulaanbaatar cold in winter?
Is Ulaanbaatar warmer or cooler than most cities?
How often does it rain in Ulaanbaatar?
Best time to visit Ulaanbaatar
May to June and August to September is the sweet spot for Ulaanbaatar - these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Expect 67°F (19°C) in the afternoon and around 9 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Pack for Ulaanbaatar with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and rain gear if you travel around August. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 76°F (25°C) with 56°F (13°C).
Ulaanbaatar temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.