Ulaanbaatar Weather in October

The weather of Ulaanbaatar in October becomes colder and colder, turning from chilly in early month to quite cold in late month. The climate is also pretty dry with low precipitation, which usually falls lightly in form of both rain and snow. In other words, Ulaanbaatar enjoys plenty of sunny days with high visibility, though the daylength is not very long. It creates a favorable weather condition for visitors to appreciate autumn views in early October.

Turn from Chilly to Pretty Cold

Normally, daily highs fluctuate between 0 and 11 degrees Celsius (32 - 52 degrees Fahrenheit) while the low degrees swing between -8 and -1℃ (17 - 30℉). It varies largely among different stages.

In early October, the high temperature mostly ranges from 9 to 14℃ (48 - 57℉), which brings chilly feelings. Then, it drops gradually to around 5℃ (14℉) by late month and Ulaanbaatar climate becomes so cold that you may want to go indoor for warmth after only staying outside for a while.

Moreover, when cold air visits, the temperature drops further. There are several days in the second half of October when the high value gets below freezing and low temperature plunges to -11℃ (12℉). Besides, wind could make the perceived temperature lower and might cause headache if without hats outdoors. Though at a low speed, it by no means can be called as gentle and appears to be more rampant on the vast grassland.

Low Precipitation & Dry Air

In October, 6 days are rainy or snowy on average, bringing the total precipitation of 15mm (0.59 in). They are mostly light and shot-time; continuous or heavy ones are rarely seen. It means that they can’t affect your outdoor sightseeing too much. Snow scenery in downtown is available only for one or two days after the snowfall, but it keeps for a longer time in suburbs of Ulaanbaatar.

With such low precipitation, Ulaanbaatar weather in October is dry, which is further aggravated by the efficient heating system. It is possible that you find your throat sore like it was on fire and your mouth cracked even bleeding when waking up in the morning. Therefore, it is suggested to drink more water and carry lip pomades with you.

Abundant Sunshine & High Visibility

Ulaanbaatar’s daytime ranges from 10h9m to 11h45m long throughout the whole October with the sunrise at 07:01 - 07:43 and sunset at 17:52 - 18:47. The daylight time is not long, but thanks to the abundant sunny days, the average sunlight duration reaches 7 hours per day.

Meanwhile, there sees a high visibility around 30km (18 mi) on sunny days and you are able to see the distant mountains clearly. The sky also seems bluer and higher under bright sunshine, providing better travel experience for visitors.

There might be exceptions as well. Since residents in grazing areas always burn cow dungs and coals to keep warm, poor air quality and low visibility in hazy days can be seen.

Averages for Ulaanbaatar Weather in October

High Temperature

8°C (46°F)

Low Temperature

-7°C (19°F)

Rainfall

15 mm

Sunrise

07:01 ~ 07:43

Sunset

17:52~ 18:47

Jan.Feb.Mar.Apr.May.Jun.Jul.Aug.Sep.Oct.Nov.Dec.

The times for sunrise and sunset are based on Ulaanbaatar.

Is October a Good Time to Visit Ulaanbaatar?

It depends.

A Good Time

The first half of October is actually a good time to visit Ulaanbaatar since the temperature hasn’t dropped significantly and the coldness is bearable. Wearing thick clothes, you will not feel too cold when conducting outdoor activities and bright sunshine also provides you more warmth. More importantly, as the forests and grasslands turn completely yellow, golden autumn view in Ulaanbaatar is fascinating and breath-taking. Fall foliage is a big feast to your eyes.

Not a Good Time

Well, the late October might fail to give you a pleasant and worthwhile travel experience. Entering into late October, it becomes pretty cold and long-time outdoor sightseeing is a big challenge. With withered trees and grasses, the landscape is barren and brown. Some streams in national park have frozen as well.

What to Wear in Ulaanbaatar in October?

Upper body: You can wear skintight bottoming shirts for inner layer to preserve heat; then, choose from knitwear, sweaters or hoodies as the middle layer. The two layers suit indoor temperatures well, but when going outside, put on windbreakers, woolen coats or down jackets.

Lower body: Padded jeans or fleece pants are the best choice, or you can choose to wear long johns with wind-proof trousers as an alternative. It suits most time in October, but when it snows, you had better match thick sweatpants with long johns.

Shoes: Sneakers or casual shoes with thick socks are warm enough for outdoor activities. Padded ones with breathable socks are good matches as well.

Others: Prepare scarves and hats to prevent cold wind since your heat get lost easily from the head and neck. Masks are useful to keep warm as well as protect you from the low-quality air. You may also need moisturizing cream and lip pomades to protect your skin from chapping.

Travel Recommendations and Tips for Ulaanbaatar in October

1. To appreciate golden autumn view, Terelj National Park, Bogd Khan Uul National Park and Tuul River are all good destinations. Their autumn scenery is of distinctive features and their distances from the center of Ulaanbaatar are different. You can choose one or two of them to pay a visit according to your interests and time.

2. The indoor attractions close early at 17:00 in October, but the sun sets at 17:52 - 18:47. To make best use of daylight hours, you can finish the indoor visits earlier before the closure time and take a taxi to the Zaishan Memorial Hill to enjoy wonderful sunset and night view of Ulaanbaatar. But the temperature on the hill top is much lower at night, be sure to wear more clothes. After that, you can go down to the shopping mall to get warm or have a dinner.

7-Day Ulaanbaatar Weather Forecast