Winds

Especially remarkable about the Baikal region are winds. More than 30 of them can be divided. They are a certain sign for the maritime climate. Due to the huge mass of water and the surrounding landscape with its mountain ranges, there is a complex local wind-system.

The exceptional variety of different winds is reflected in the great number of names for them. "Verkhovik" is a dry wind starting in the Angara valley. It is one of the strongest and most enduring winds. Long after the wind has stopped, rough seas persist for a long time.

The mightiest wind in the Baikal region is named "Gorny", a Hurricane like storm reaching more than 40m/s, blowing from the mountain ranges at the west coast.

"Shelonnik" is a widely spread wind in the southern part of the lake, bringing air from Mongolia over the Chamar-Daban Range. It is followed by sunny weather. The most well known winds on Baikal are "Barguzin", "Kultuk" and "Sarma". Unpredictable and within minutes they blow from the river valleys on the lake.

Besides there are a lot of other local winds, all feared by Fishermen for their unpredictability and immediately generated rough seas.