Irkutsk residents were promised a relatively warm New Years Eve. From December 31 to January 1, temperatures are expected from 13 to 18 C, and on the first day of 2016, up to 10, 15 C. However, after January 20 Siberian frosts will arrive, and by the end of the month nighttime temperatures may drop below 35 C. The article also recalls the coldest and warmest winters and New Years Eves in Irkutsk history.

Meteorologists have promised Irkutsk residents a warm New Year’s Eve. It is expected that from December 31 to January 1 the temperature will be -13, -18°C. On the first day of 2016, the thermometer will show -10, -15°C. And from January 20, Siberian frosts will hit Irkutsk, with nighttime temperatures below -35°C by the end of the month. This was reported at a press conference on December 23 by the head of the weather forecasting department of the Irkutsk Hydrometeorological Center, Yulia Yankova.
“January 2016, according to the preliminary forecast, is expected to be slightly colder than usual. The coldest will be the third ten-day period of January. At night, the temperature will drop to -26, -31°C, and by the end of the month it will be below -35°C. In the northern latitudes of the Irkutsk region, nighttime temperatures will be even colder, -37, -45°C. In the first two ten-day periods of January, which include the New Year holidays, the temperature background in the south of the region will be quite favorable. At night from -13, -18°C to -22, -27°C. During the day -10, -15°C, and on some days it will warm up to -4, -9°C,” Yulia Yankova clarified.
According to Vladimir Gontar, head of the agrometeorological forecasting and agrometeorology department of the Irkutsk Hydrometeorological Center, for Irkutsk almost the entire November of 2015 was abnormally cold, while December (the first three weeks) turned out to be abnormally warm. In 2015, a contrasting winter is being observed.
“The harshest winters in Irkutsk were in 1914—1915, 1935−1936, 1968−1969, 2000−2001, 2009−2010. The warmest were in 1988—1989, 1994−1995, 2006−2007, 2013−2014, 2014−2015. The coldest New Year’s Eve was recorded in Irkutsk in 1893, when it was -43°C outside. The warmest New Year’s Eve was recorded by meteorologists in 1974, when the average daily temperature was almost -1°C,” Vladimir Gontar noted.
On January 9, 1910, it was -48°C in Irkutsk, and on January 12, 1915, a temperature record was set in the regional center — it was -50°C outside.