Weather in Russia
The most important thing about Russian weather is this: it really depends on the region. Most of Russia lies in a moderate climate zone and is quite a comfortable place to live in.
According to the Russian Weather Service 1, the climate in Russia is becoming warmer, so the famous Russian frosts are now a rarity.
Unlike many Western countries, central heating is on in all houses and public buildings during the winter season. Heaters also work in public transport during the winter months. When you are in your dormitory room, in a classroom, on the bus, in a cafe, museum or any other public place, you won’t be likely to get cold. However, we suggest taking your winter and autumn clothing seriously. Resisting the Russian frost is not about fearing the cold, rather about dressing warmly. In autumn you can do with a light coat or a raincoat, but in winter you will need a warm coat and boots, a cap and definitely gloves.
According to the statistics 2, the biggest international student populations are in the Central (43.6%), North-Western (17%), Siberian (14.4%), Volga (10.5%) and Southern (8.4%) Federal Districts.
| Federal Districts | Administrative Capital | January Climate Normals | July Climate Normals |
| Central Federal District | Moscow | -9,4°C | +18,2°C |
| Moscow, Moscow Region, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kursk, Lipetsk, Orel, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula, Yaroslavl. | |||
| North-Eastern Federal District | St. Petersburg | -12,4°C | +14,3°C |
| St. Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov, Karelia, Komi, Nenets Autonomous District. | |||
| Southern Federal District | Rostov-on-Don | -4,2°C | +22,3°C |
| Rostov, Volgograd, and Astrakhan regions, Adygea, Kalmykia, and Krasnodar Krai. | |||
| North Caucasian Federal District | Pyatigorsk | -4,1°C | +21,6°C |
| Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkariya, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia-Alania, Stavropol Krai, Chechen Republic. | |||
| Volga Federal District | Nizhny Novgorod | -13,4°C | +19,2°C |
| Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, Samara, Saratov, Orenburg, Penza, Ulyanovsk, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Mariy El, Mordovia, Perm, Udmurtia, Chuvashia. | |||
| Ural Federal District | Yekaterinburg | -19°C | +17,3°С |
| Sverdlovsk Region, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, and Tyumen regions, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District. | |||
| Siberian Federal District | Novosibirsk | -22,6 °C | +15,5°C |
| Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Kemerovo regions, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tyva, Khakassia, Republic of Altai, Altai Krai, Buryatia, Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai. | |||
| Far-Eastern Federal District | Khabarovsk | -23 °C | +14°С |
| Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, Amur, Magadan, and Sakhalin regions, Jewish Autonomous Region, Chukotka Autonomous Region, Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Kamtchatka Krai. | |||
| Crimea Federal District | Simferopol | +1°C | +35°С |
| Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol | |||
Weather in Russia by Federal District
Central Federal District
Moscow, Moscow Region, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kursk, Lipetsk, Orel, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula, Yaroslavl.
North-Eastern Federal District
St. Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Novgorod, Pskov, Karelia, Komi, Nenets Autonomous District.
Southern Federal District
Administrative Capital
Rostov-on-Don
January Climate Normals
-4,2°C
July Climate Normals
+22,3°C
Rostov, Volgograd, and Astrakhan regions, Adygea, Kalmykia, and Krasnodar Krai.
North Caucasian Federal District
Administrative Capital
Pyatigorsk
January Climate Normals
-4,1°C
July Climate Normals
+21,6°C
Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkariya, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia-Alania, Stavropol Krai, Chechen Republic.
Volga Federal District
Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, Samara, Saratov, Orenburg, Penza, Ulyanovsk, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Mariy El, Mordovia, Perm, Udmurtia, Chuvashia.
Ural Federal District
Sverdlovsk Region, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, and Tyumen regions, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District.
Siberian Federal District
Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Kemerovo regions, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tyva, Khakassia, Republic of Altai, Altai Krai, Buryatia, Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai.
Far-Eastern Federal District
Administrative Capital
Khabarovsk
January Climate Normals
-23 °C
July Climate Normals
+14°С
Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, Amur, Magadan, and Sakhalin regions, Jewish Autonomous Region, Chukotka Autonomous Region, Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, Kamtchatka Krai.
Crimea Federal District
Administrative Capital
Simferopol
January Climate Normals
+1°C
July Climate Normals
+35°С
Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol
| City/Average monthly temperature | January | March | July | September |
| Moscow | -6,5°C | -1°C | +19,2°C | +11,3°C |
| St. Petersburg | -5,5°C | -1,3°C | +18,8°C | +11,6°C |
| Nizhny Novgorod | -8,9°C | -2,6°C | +19,4°C | +11,1°C |
| Kazan | -10,4°C | -3,9°C | +20,2°C | +11,7°C |
| Rostov-on-Don | -3°C | +2,4°C | +23,4°C | +16,7°C |
| Perm | -12,8°C | -4,2°C | +18,6°C | +9,6°C |
| Yekaterinburg | -12,6°C | -3,8°C | +19°C | +9,8°C |
| Pyatigorsk | -3,8°C | +1°C | +21,1°C | +15,1°C |
| Novosibirsk | -16,5°C | -7,6°C | +19,4°C | +10,2°C |
| Tomsk | -17,1°C | -7°C | +18,7°C | +9°C |
| Khabarovsk | -19,8°C | -6,4°C | +21,3°C | +13,7°C |
| Vladivostok | -11,7°C | -0,9°C | +18°C | +16,5°C |
| Simferopol | +1,8°C | +4,9°C | +22,3°C | +17,9°C |
Weather in Russia by City
JANUARY
-6,5°C
MARCH
-1°C
JULY
+19,2°C
SEPTEMBER
+11,3°C
JANUARY
-5,5°C
MARCH
-1,3°C
JULY
+18,8°C
SEPTEMBER
+11,6°C
JANUARY
-8,9°C
MARCH
-2,6°C
JULY
+19,4°C
SEPTEMBER
+11,1°C
JANUARY
-10,4°C
MARCH
-3,9°C
JULY
+20,2°C
SEPTEMBER
+11,7°C
Rostov-on-Don
JANUARY
-3°C
MARCH
+2,4°C
JULY
+23,4°C
SEPTEMBER
+16,7°C
JANUARY
-12,8°C
MARCH
-4,2°C
JULY
+18,6°C
SEPTEMBER
+9,6°C
JANUARY
-12,6°C
MARCH
-3,8°C
JULY
+19°C
SEPTEMBER
+9,8°C
Pyatigorsk
JANUARY
-3,8°C
MARCH
+1°C
JULY
+21,1°C
SEPTEMBER
+15,1°C
JANUARY
-16,5°C
MARCH
-7,6°C
JULY
+19,4°C
SEPTEMBER
+10,2°C
JANUARY
-17,1°C
MARCH
-7°C
JULY
+18,7°C
SEPTEMBER
+9°C
Khabarovsk
JANUARY
-19,8°C
MARCH
-6,4°C
JULY
+21,3°C
SEPTEMBER
+13,7°C
JANUARY
-11,7°C
MARCH
-0,9°C
JULY
+18°C
SEPTEMBER
+16,5°C
Simferopol
JANUARY
+1,8°C
MARCH
+4,9°C
JULY
+22,3°C
SEPTEMBER
+17,9°C
Read more: Tips for Helping International Applicants Through Russian Winter
