Base on the observations of wind speed and direction in the accumulation area of the Laohugou Glacier No. 12, Qilian Mountains (39°25'39.5″ N, 96°33'21.8″ E, and 5 040m a.s.l.), from November 2008 to October 2009, the characteristics of averaged diurnal and seasonal variations of wind speed and direction are analyzed. It is found that the diurnal fluctuation is obvious, ranging from 1 to 8.8 m·s^-1. The maximum diurnal average speed is found in winter (5.1 m·s^-1), smaller speeds are observed in spring (3.4 m·s^-1 ) and autumn (3.7 m·s^-1), and the minimum is detected in summer (2.6 m·s^-1), showing a typical alps wind speed characteristics. In autumn and winter, controlled by partial-south wind direction and stable high wind speed, the accumulation area prevails typical glacier wind, whereas, in spring and summer the glacier wind field is strong and sometimes accompanied with valley wind. Affected by the terrain (mountain-valley) and land cover condition (snow-ice underlying surface), easterly wind may appear in spring, summer and autumn, which is possibly attributed to the Qaidam low pressure.

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