Solar Activity and the Climate of Prebaikalia

This paper presents convincing evidence for the reality of manifestations of solar variability in climate characteristics of the Prebaikalia. A numerical estimate is obtained of this influence on ground air temperature. It is shown that the main meaningful variations in air temperature in the region for the period 1881-1960 were caused by solar activity. Since the 1960s till the present, with the influence of solar variability continuing, a clear-cut influence of another factor has been observed, the role of which has been steadily increasing, and in the last decade it has now exceeded the contribution of solar variability. Research results on the variations in hydrological characteristics of Lake Baikal and the Angara river and their connection with solar activity are presented. It is shown that these characteristics are closely correlated with the duration of solar cycles.