Geothermal microclimates? (hot, warm, average, warming)

[ChesterNZ]

Are there any places in which the local climate is significantly altered by nearby hot springs or geothermal activity? I've always imagined that there is some Shangri La in Scandinavia or northern Russia in which a warm microclimate exists adjacent to a big hot pool.

I know there's a hot spring in Oymyakon, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the surrounding area (although it does make for nice swimming).

[FVWinters]

Originally Posted by ChesterNZ

Are there any places in which the local climate is significantly altered by nearby hot springs or geothermal activity? I've always imagined that there is some Shangri La in Scandinavia or northern Russia in which a warm microclimate exists adjacent to a big hot pool.

I know there's a hot spring in Oymyakon, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the surrounding area (although it does make for nice swimming).

Don't know if this really answers your question but there is a lake in Canada's high arctic that functions as a "thermal oasis".

Lake Hazen is an unusually deep lake going from southwest to northeast between 81.6 and 81.9 degrees north latitude. Because of its depth, it holds what little heat that gets that far north. The Hazen Fault Zone immediately to the north of the lake forms a series of steep mountains that do a very good job of reflecting solar radiation down to the north shore and recent ice-out conditions lasting as long as two months enhance this heating effect.

The only weather data I have found for Lake Hazen is included here:
HAZEN LAKE and was taken during a two year stretch in the 60's. That's not very long but it's interesting to note that those readings were taken during one of the coolest stretches of weather the high arctic saw during the entire 20th century. Average July temps were 7.1 degrees C (or roughly 44.8 F) which is damm'd impressive for a location less than 600 miles (965 kilometers) from the north pole.

[SolidSoap]

Temperatures in Hot Springs, Arkansas seem to run about 2° to 3°F warmer than those in nearby Mt Ida, which despite its name, is at a slightly lower elevation. The gap is seen in all seasons and is greater at night, rather like what one sees with an urban heat island. But Hot Springs has only about 35000 people and one would not normally expect an urban heat island in such a town.

Thermopolis, Wyoming is also surprisingly warm for where it is on a map, with average temperatures about 6°F warmer than Riverton, WY, which is further south and only slightly higher in elevation. Thermopolis is named for its hot springs.

It's tempting to conclude that the hot water rushing out of the ground is in fact warming these towns just barely enough to measure a consistent increase in temperature, but other effects might be causing these microclimates. I don't have data for humidity, which would perhaps be a better way to demonstrate that the quantity of water flowing out was sufficient to make a measurable difference.

On the other hand, it may be that geothermal heating can affect the soil temperature as well, and therefore the increase would be measurable in other areas apart from the immediate vicinity of the hot springs, and would not markedly increase humidity.

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This thread is very old, but I saw the notice at the bottom which leads me to believe that it's better for me to post this here than to start a new thread.

Best regards,
Soap