RUSSIAN
CLIMATE & VISITING RUSSIA
Most
of Russia has a continental climate — the winters are bone chilling
and the summers can be boiling. The swings are most extreme in southern
and central Siberia, but even in Moscow temperatures can range from
-30 to 30 Celsius (-20 to 100 Fahrenheit). The Black Sea coast and
its resort communities tend to have the least swing.
Late
spring, early summer and the fall are good times to visit. During
the hot summer months of July and August cities shut down as locals
head to the countryside to live off the land at their dachas.
In
the beginning of September the ballets and the operas start back up
and the cities come to life again. (The performing arts season runs
from about September to May, although there are occasional shows in
the summer, especially during St. Petersburg's White Nights Festival
in June.)
The
first real cold hits Moscow and St. Petersburg sometime in November
and there's usually snow on the ground from December through April.
If
you're prepared for the cold, Russia is often at its most beautiful
under a blanket of snow. Winter is also the peak of the theater season
and generally has fewer tourists. Steer clear of the mud and slush
that covers the country during the spring thaw (April to May) and
late fall.
©
Copyright "The
MoscowTimes"
