The fringing mountains rise up steeply to a maximum height of 8,445 ft., while the lake has a maximum depth of 5,315 ft., making it the deepest in the world. Movement is still continuing and earthquakes occur around the lake. Lake Baikal has 336 tributary rivers, several of which are of considerable size - the Selenga, Barguzin and Upper Angara. The outlet for the lake is the Angara, a tributary of the Yenissei. Below 700 ft.
Winter is notably dry and cold.
Days without snow are few. Precipitation varies from 10 to 14 in. The ice on the lake breaks up rapidly. As the snow melts, the surface soon dries and a brief period of delightful spring weather is experienced, though often interrupted by the return of severe cold for a short time. Summer follows quickly.