Using daily precipitation and daily minimum temperature data from the China Meteorological Administration, as well as the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset, this article analyzes the climatic characteristics and atmospheric circulation patterns of strong cold air in Inner Mongolia from 1981 to 2022. The results show that, in terms of the spatial distribution of linear trends in strong cold air events, the stations with the increase in cold air events are mostly observed in February. We further analyze the frequency of cold-dry and cold-wet type strong cold air events in different regions. Regions 1 and 2 show more cold-dry type events, while Region 3 encounters more cold-wet type events. Long-term trends indicate a decreasing tendency in the frequency of cold-dry and cold-wet type strong cold air events in Region 3, while Regions 1 and 2 show an increasing trend in cold-wet type events and a decreasing trend in cold-dry type events. The primary condition for the formation of cold-dry type strong cold air processes in each region is the influence of northwest airflow, whereas the formation of cold-wet type strong cold air processes requires the transport of warm and moist airflow from the southeast.