February 26, 2020

Wacky Winter Weather


Wacky Winter Weather
This winter isn't typical for Russia. Image by Wikimedia Commons

The weather has been acting unpredictably recently in Russia. This week, Muscovites can expect temperatures 30+ degrees above normal, landing at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius). And they’re not the only ones who should expect surprisingly warm weather: temperatures will be about 30 degrees higher than normal in Siberia, around 20 degrees warmer in the Rostov Oblast, 15 degrees warmer in Krasnodar, and 12 degrees warmer in Yakutia.

But this week isn’t the first time Russians are experiencing warmer than usual weather. The weather has been so warm that records are being broken. Russia’s Hydrometeorological Centre recorded five consecutive record-breaking days in February, ending with February 22. The temperature reached 6.7 degrees Celsius (44 degrees Fahrenheit) at VDNKh Park, beating out the previous 1990 record of 6.6 degrees Celsius (43.8 degrees Fahrenheit). For comparison, last year, the temperature on February 22 was negative 7.5 degrees Celsius (18.5 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to data from Bloomberg, the abnormally high temperature is due to an unusually stable low-pressure region in the North Pole. Usually, the pressure in this area fluctuates between high and low, and it is rarely so steady. As a result, the low-pressure region blocked the usual winds that “send” cold air southwards, keeping them contained in the north. Experts at AccuWeather and Maxar report they were sure that this winter could be colder than last year, but meteorologists had no idea that the low-pressure region in the Arctic would remain for so long. Scientists have not yet determined the cause, according to the media.

The research director of Russia’s Hydrometeorological Centre, Roman Vilfand, also attributes the warm weather to a powerful heat flux from the Atlantic plus the Siberian anticyclone’s departure to China combined with the polar vortex. As a result, many countries are seeing their warmest winter in a long time, with many records being broken.

It’s hard to say if this unusual warmth will last. Yevgeny Tishkovets, the leading specialist at the Phobos weather center, stated that the trend towards warming will continue in March, although there could be some surprises towards the end of the month. On the other hand, Roman Vilfand stated that Russians should expect freezing temperatures next month. “In March, snow will still fall and the temperature will drop into the negatives. So frost is not ruled out at all,” he said.

This summer should see a return to more normal weather patterns. “Most likely, nature will try to level the situation a bit so that there is no big jump in average temperatures,” explained Andrei Kiselev, Senior Researcher at the Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory in Russia. He added that research shows a trend: if the temperature was too high in winter, then in summer it will either be average or below average, but it will not be higher than average.

Overall, if you’re traveling in Russia in the near future, be sure to bring clothing for any type of weather!

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955