Saint Petersburg weather is of the humid continental variety, very similar to that found in most parts of Russia. The winters are long, cold and frosty and the summers extremely short and sunny. As a matter of fact summers in St Petersburg are so short, they have been immortalised in a series of jokes like the following one: "Have you had a summer in Saint Petersburg this year?" "Yes, we have, but I was working that day."
All jokes aside, Saint Petersburg weather is also renowned for its unpredictability, or if you like, the ability to change patterns at the drop of a hat! Even during the time span of a single day, temperatures fluctuating between one extreme to another, soaring to highs of 20ºC in winter and 30ºC in summer, dipping to lows of 5ºC and 15ºC respectively. Having said that, it should also be noted that average temperatures in Saint Petersburg weather are –10ºC in January and 18ºC in June. Again, numbers only tell part of the story.
Talking by experience, local residents will more likely approach the weather in Saint Petersburg from a completely different perspective, explaining that seasonal temperatures are so variable, that winter can range between harsh with the temperature reaching –30ºC to extremely warm periods with temperatures staying just above the freezing point line, with summers often following a similar pattern.
If Saint Petersburg weather is generally believed to be a rather bleak affair, that’s partly because of the high clouds that cover the city for most part of the year, letting very little sunshine to break through. Summer is by far the sunniest season, although the city’s annual sunny days average does not usually exceed 75 days per year.
Still there’s a silver lining in every cloud as St Petersburg is no exception. Located at rather low latitude, Saint Petersburg weather is blessed with many truly magnificent phenomena, the most renewed of which is poetically known as “White Nights” and appears during the summer season when the twilight merges with the dawn. During this time of the year, St Petersburg’s daylight extends to an amazing 18 hours and 53 minutes, making the city the only one in the world to enjoy bright sleepless nights, sending its residents out in the open to take strolls around the city, taking in every second of the magnificence of nature and the captivating beauty that unfolds before them.
Like most of Russia, winters in Saint Petersburg are long and cold: normal temperatures fall as low as –12ºC often reaching –20ºC, turning the Neva Riva into a carpet of ice which does not melt until April is on its way out.
Similarly, the spring season can be quite long. While temperatures do not rise above freezing point until the beginning of April and chilly days make frequent appearances, by mid May and onwards weather in Saint Petersburg becomes quite warm and pleasant.
Summer temperatures generally do not veer outside the 20 - 25ºC bracket but rainfall is always a possibility: simply put, you never know when the skies will decide to open up! Admittedly, hot and sunny days are definitely not rare and July is without doubt the hottest month of the year. By mid August temperatures begin to drop slightly and the weather becomes considerably cooler and more bearable.
Autumn most definitely starts on a good foot, with reasonably warm days being the norm at least until mid-September, but from then onwards it’s all downhill: by mid- October weather in Saint Petersburg is often of the rather chilly variety and by November winter is truly on its way with snow fall beginning to make its first appearances.
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