Moscow - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The summer is beautiful and short, but not too hot. The winter is long, cold, and dark. It is pretty comparable to a Minnesota winter. - Dec 2023
Winter is long. The city is beautiful during the winter, with lights adorning many of the city streets. For me, when it is cold, you just layer and go on with life, which was what my experience was throughout the city. Families are still out and about during the winter and parks are used all year. It wasn't so much the cold that impacted me but the lack of light that I think has more of an impact. Be prepared for darkness. - Mar 2019
This last summer (2018) was spectacular: warm, long, dry, and wonderful though that was, I understand, a bit unusual. It is generally cool here and not unusual to have a fair bit of rain with of course cold and snowy winters. - Nov 2018
Summers are nice. Winters are not as cold as in Ottawa. - Oct 2017
Extremely cold in the winter with snow and mild in the summer. - Sep 2016
Beautiful, mild summer. Short fall and spring. Long winter - but not as cold as I had anticipated. - May 2016
Long, harsh and dark winters add up to half the year (October to April), but spring, summer and fall are very mild and pleasant. - Sep 2015
It's pretty mild and comparable to northeast U.S. - Jun 2015
Beautiful summers, very cold snowy winters. Our first winter there the temperatures were negative Farenheit and you definitely appreciate wearing tall boots and long goosedown coats. Funny enough, the 2013-2014 winter was warmer than Washington DC and it only started snowing again when we left. - Oct 2014
Of course cold winters. Snow beginning in October and stays until April. Summer is absolutely beautiful here. Winter is long, cold and dark. - Feb 2014
The summer is short, but beautiful with long days and low humidity. The winter is long, cold and dark, but somewhat mitigated by the long January holidays and lots of outdoor activities such as ice skating and cross-country skiing. - Nov 2013
There is a constant snow cover from early November until April. December to February it's very cold, for weeks on end; it won't get warmer than -10C. Summers are pleasant but short. Days are very short in December with very little sunshine - beware of your psychological health at this time of the year. - Jul 2013
Very long and very dark winters, short but beautiful summers. The darkness of the winter for some people is harder than the cold and the snow. Moscow deals with snow fairly well, so moving about during the dead of winter is easy as long as you're dressed appopriately. GSO offers SAD lamps to those who want one (but they run out quickly) and I found it very helpful. In the summer the sun sets very late -- and people are out taking advantage of the sun until late as well. I saw a family with young children playing in a playground at 11:00 pm (dusk) a few weeks ago. - Jul 2013
The weather is beautiful six months out of the year (May-Oct), which was a pleasant surprise. We were expecting nine months of winter before we got here. Now that we have experienced a winter, I can say it is really cold but very manageable with the proper gear. - Jan 2013
There are seasons. Fall and spring are pretty good. Summer is very nice (unless there's smoke) and winter can be brutal. A typical ski jacket will not be enough, you will want snow pants and a long thick coat. - Mar 2012
Cold winters, lots of snow. It started snowing in early November, and didn't stop until April. I think our coldest week it got down to about -27C. But once the snow melted, it warmed up quickly. Summer can be hot -last year it was around 40C quite a bit of July/August. Right now, it's Spring, and it's beautiful out. Sunny most days and the temps are around 24C. Fall was nice, too. We arrived in late summer, so I haven't seen June yet. - May 2011
Winter is harsh. The Russian winter defeated both Napoleon's and Hitler's armies. That speaks for itself. - Jan 2011
Well, it's Russia! Winters are cold, but the snow can cover a multitude of sins (for a time) and make almost anything seem pretty. Summer is fine - warm but usually not too hot -- except for this year, apparently. - Jul 2010
You get all the seasons: spring (about a month), summer (about a month), fall (another month), then you have winter. - May 2010
Winter is long -- very long and very cold. During my time there I saw -20 for two winters in a row. Sometimes it snows just about everyday, but people drive and go out just the same. The snow becomes a way of life after a bit. Spring and Fall -- even though they are about a month long each -- are very pleasant. In the summer, especially nearing August, it gets incredibly hot. Many public places don't have air conditioning, so you sweat a lot for about a month. - May 2010
Summers are perfect, if not too long. Cold in winter, with snow. Its on;y really cold for a few weeks (less than two last winter) though, the rest of the time it is a little over freezing, which is manageable, once you accept the cold and dress appropriately (good shoes, wool coat, scarf, gloves, hat) - Feb 2010
Brutally cold in winter - expect months of bitter cold around zero fahrenheit starting in Dec, and only a few hours of sunlight a month. Summer is quite nice, warm and sunny, though. - Jan 2010
Cold in winter. Warm in summer. I am still a short timer who has only seen three seasons, but some will tell you there are only two seasons. Though I think that might be hyperbole. I saw a very nice autumn out here just beyond the city with lovely birch leaves turning a vibrant gold. Yes, it was brief, and already winter is here, but it was pretty. - Nov 2009
Four seasons. Last winter was longish, but really not unbearable. The Moscovites know how to live with snow--the sidewalks are swept, the streets are plowed. Snow isn't a big deal. It doesn't close the city down the way it might Washington DC. And now with the mayor manipulating the weather, maybe it won't snow at all! - Oct 2009
Short, moderate summer, long winter. Last winter didn't get too cold, but the one before saw many much colder days. - Aug 2009
Cold, long winters with not many hours of daylight. It's best to get a UV lamp or what we call a "happy lamp." - Aug 2009
Long & cold winters; brillant but short summers. - Jul 2009
Long, cold winters; short, cool summers (with an occasional heat wave). - Sep 2008
Warm and often rainy in the summer, cold in the winter. - Aug 2008
