Regional Features of the Modern Climatic Period in the Irkutsk Region

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the spatiotemporal features of the distribution of meteorological parameters in the Irkutsk region in the modern climatic period (1991–2020). To determine the observed trends in regional climate change and the associated possible climatic risks for various sectors of the economy and transport of the Irkutsk region, the differences in average annual and average monthly values were calculated compared to the previous climatic period (1961–1990). The initial data were obtained from 78 meteorological stations in the Irkutsk region on air and soil temperature, humidity characteristics, the amount of total and lower cloudiness, and precipitation amounts. The study found that the highest growth rates of average annual air temperatures are observed at meteorological stations in the Zhiglovsky and Chunsky districts of the Irkutsk region. In the period from November to January, a slight cooling occurs at a number of stations in the Katangsky, Kachugsky, Kirensky, Verkhnelensky districts and the high-mountain station Khamar-Daban. Climate warming in the modern climatic period is accompanied by a decrease in the total number of clouds and an increase in lower cloudiness against the background of an increase in the amount of atmospheric precipitation. Climate warming has a beneficial effect in increasing the duration of the frost-free period, but can pose a threat for the occurrence of prolonged dry periods in summer, prolonged thaws in winter, an increase in inter-daily temperature variability, the likelihood of dangerous hydrological phenomena during floods and high waters.