Siberian anticyclone, RECORD values. What it means for the winter

The atmospheric pressure would reach values ​​above 1090 hPa in the heart of Mongolia, where the powerful Siberian thermal anticyclone is consolidating. However, this figure alone does not mean anything in relation to the trend of winter in Europe

It is certainly not the power of the local anticyclone that allows the anticyclone itself to expand westward towards Europe, but other factors. It is normal to record very high pressure values ​​in winter anticyclones of a thermal nature, but in this case they would be real records.

Record values ​​in the high mountains, but they are not necessarily accurate

The numbers recorded by some high altitude stations, at about 2000 meters above sea level, are as follows: 1093.6 hPa in Tosontsengel, 1094.3 hPa in Tsetsen Uul, 1094.9 hPa in Bajdrag. These are still preliminary data, which will have to be examined by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) to be validated.

The previous record belongs to Tsetsen-Uul and dates back to December 2004, when 1089.4 hPa were measured, a figure subsequently certified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the highest value for stations over 750 meters high.

There is in fact a distinction between low-altitude and mountain stations. In the latter the lower reliability of the data weighs heavily, as the pressure data is standardized to be brought to sea level. Remember that the atmospheric pressure decreases by about 1 hPa every 7 meters of altitude.

With regard to stations located below 750 meters, the highest pressure record remains that of 1084 hPa which was recorded in December 1968 in Russia, in Agata. We will therefore have to wait to understand whether or not these potential record data will be corroborated by the WMO.

Returning to the potential consequences on the European weather, the observation of such a strong cold anticyclone on the Russian-Asian sector could have important repercussions, whereas the Polar Vortex is less strong this winter.

These days, we are also monitoring that warming in the stratosphere which could be an additional boost for the propagation of freezing air in the lower layers. The eventual contribution of the Russian-Siberian anticyclone could make history and favor the retrogression of the frost towards Europe.

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