Namtso Lake Climate
Namtso is located 250 kilometers north of Lhasa, known as "Heavenly Lake", attracting a large number of tourists every year. Most tourists will spend a day visiting Namtso, but for those who enjoy hiking and enjoying the beauty of the night sky, they will spend one or more nights by the lake.
At 4718 meters above sea level, the weather and climate at Namtso Lake are very different from Lhasa. The lake is surrounded by snow all year round with harsh climate. The most prominent feature of lake climate is the extreme temperature difference between day and night. For travelers who want to spend the night by Lake Namtso or hike in the area, it is important to know the weather and dressing tips.
Namtso Lake Weather
Namtso Lake is a transition zone of semi-humid and semi-arid with sufficient light, heat, water resources and low pressure. The air density measured in Damxung County and Baingoin County is 0.73 kilogram per cubic meter, and the annual sunshine duration is about 3000 hours, the annual sunshine rate is greater than 65%. With clear rainy and dry season, the rainy season is from June to October every year, the annual average precipitation is about 410 mm, and from November to May of the following year is the dry season.
Windiness is a prominent feature of climate at Namtso lake and its surrounding areas. Comparing the data of Damxung and Baingoin, the annual average gale days above grade 8 are 73.8 days in Damxung and 85.5 days in Baingoin. The gale days are mainly concentrated on December to May of the following year, during which the gale days account for 79.4% of the year in Damxung County and 71.7% of the year in Baingoin County. During the day, the wind often appears in the afternoon and evening, the wind on the water surface is particularly strong; The dominant wind direction of Namtso is southwest wind.
Best Time to Visit Namtso Lake
The road to Namtso is closed from December to March because of the bad weather. From January to April and November to December, Namtso will be covered with snow and closed for visiting. So the best time to travel to Namtso Lake is from June to September with warmer weather and higher oxygen content.
Travel Tips
1. Namtso Lake is cold in May. But sometimes it is sunny. Besides, in this place, it is sunny day in June and July, but the weather is still changeable, sometimes cloudy, rainy or snowy. So you must bring some heavy clothes to keep warm.
2. There is relatively more rain in August, and the temperature difference between daytime and night won't decrease. Down jacket and rainy jacket are needed.
3. From January to April and November to December, visitors can't go to Namtso Lake, which is frozen and the mountain pass is closed. The road to Namtso cannot be available.
4. After arriving at the lake, you should keep warm all the time. Don’t take off your jacket even it is not so cold, or you may catch a cold, which is dangerous on the plateau. Avoid long and fast walking and other strenuous activities.
5. Visiting Namtso Lake, you only need to handle the Tibet Travel Permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. Other permits, such as Alien’s Travel Permit, military permits and border pass, are not required. Travelers cannot apply for the permits alone. You must have China Travel Agency applying for the permit on your behalf. It usually takes 15 to 20 days to get a Tibet Travel Permit.
Read more about Namtso Climate
Best Time to Visit Namtso in Tibet
