Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Fourth Nine-Nine | Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne

The Fourth of the Nine-Nines, known as Dönön Ükhiin Ever Khöldöne—Time When Four Year-Old Cows’ Horns Freeze—begins today, January 17. This is supposed to be the coldest of the Nine-Nines, nine periods of nine days each, each period marked by some description of winter weather. But actually we are having a bit of a warm spell. Yesterday it was a mere minus 15 Fº (–26º C. for you unrepentant Celsius freaks) at 7:30 a.m. and today the temperature at 7:30 is the same. It got above 0º F the last several afternoons, and the high today is forecast to be 7º above F. (–14 Cº), virtually shirt-sleeve weather for Mongolia in January. So it is a bit warm for This Time Of The Year. 

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