Climate
Wrangel Island has a severe polar climate. The region is blanketed by dry and cold Arctic air masses for most of the year. Warmer and more humid air can reach the island from the south-east during summer. Dry and heated air from Siberia comes to the island periodically.
Wrangel Island is influenced by both the Arctic and Pacific air masses. One consequence is the predominance of high winds. The island is subjected to “cyclonic” episodes characterized by rapid circular winds. It is also an island of mists and fogs.
Winters are prolonged and are characterized by steady frosty weather and high northerly winds. During this period the temperatures usually stay well below freezing for months. In February and March there are frequent snow-storms with wind speeds of 140 km/h (87 mph) or above.
There are noticeable differences in climate between the northern, central and southern parts of the island. The central and southern portion is warmer, with some of the valleys having semi-continental climates that support a number sub-Arctic steppe-like meadow species.
The short summers are cool but comparatively mild as the polar day generally keeps temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F). Some frosts and snowfalls occur, and fog is common. Warmer and drier weather is experienced in the center of the island because the interior's topography encourages foehn winds. As of 2003, the frost-free period on the island was very short, usually not more than 20-to-25 days, and more often only two weeks. Average relative humidity is about 83%.
| Climate data for Wrangel Island | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 1.5 (34.7) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
0.7 (33.3) |
2.2 (36) |
11.1 (52) |
17.4 (63.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
1.7 (35.1) |
1.1 (34) |
18.2 (64.8) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −19.4 (−2.9) |
−20.1 (−4.2) |
−18.7 (−1.7) |
−12.9 (8.8) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
3.3 (37.9) |
5.7 (42.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
−17.1 (1.2) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −26.2 (−15.2) |
−26.8 (−16.2) |
−25.9 (−14.6) |
−20.4 (−4.7) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
1.1 (34) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−15.9 (3.4) |
−23.0 (−9.4) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −42 (−44) |
−44.6 (−48.3) |
−45 (−49) |
−38.2 (−36.8) |
−31.5 (−24.7) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−4.9 (23.2) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−21.4 (−6.5) |
−29.8 (−21.6) |
−34.9 (−30.8) |
−57.7 (−71.9) |
−57.7 (−71.9) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 7 (0.28) |
7 (0.28) |
5 (0.2) |
6 (0.24) |
8 (0.31) |
10 (0.39) |
20 (0.79) |
27 (1.06) |
15 (0.59) |
12 (0.47) |
10 (0.39) |
8 (0.31) |
135 (5.31) |
| Avg. rainy days | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.03 | 0.4 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0.2 | 55.93 |
| Avg. snowy days | 12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 145 |
| % humidity | 79 | 80 | 80 | 81 | 86 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 79 | 79 | 83 |
| Source: Климат о. Врангеля | |||||||||||||
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