Weather in Russia

This guide was written prior to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and is therefore not reflective of the current situation. Travel to Russia is currently not advisable due to the area's volatile political situation.

The weather in Russia is nearly as varied as the country is large. Expats are advised to research the climate of their specific destination to get a better idea of what to expect.

Technically, Russia’s climate is predominately continental. Although the north is heavily influenced by its proximity to the Arctic, and the southern parts of its eastern areas are tempered by the Pacific Ocean. 

European Russia, on the other hand, is privy to more of a maritime climate, with warm, albeit short, summers, and a decent amount of humidity. Autumn and spring are pleasant but fleeting, and summers are only slightly longer.

That said, extreme cold is by far the most consistent and outstanding characteristic of the climate in Russia. Snowfall varies depending on location, but even in the warmer south, snow cover lasts for 60 to 80 days per year. The climate gets more severe the farther one moves east. As expat oil workers may discover, Siberia has harsh, long, bitterly cold winters.