Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, sits on rolling hills above the Bâc River in the centre of the country, on the East European Plain far from any moderating sea at approximately 47.01°N, 28.86°E. Its inland position gives it a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa/Dfb) — with hot summers and cold winters — and a wide annual temperature range.

Summer, from June to August, is hot and moderately humid, with July and August the warmest — average highs around 28–29°C — and heatwaves that can exceed 35°C. It is the wettest season, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms that can be heavy, and the long, warm, sunny days ripen the vineyards for which the country is known.

Winter, from December to February, is cold and often grey, with January the coldest month — average highs around 1°C and lows near -5°C, and cold snaps driven by continental air that can drop well below -15°C. Snow falls and can lie for weeks, though thaws are frequent, and the season is marked by biting easterly winds.

Chișinău receives around 500–550 mm of precipitation a year, with a clear early-summer maximum from thunderstorms and a drier winter; a good share of the cold-season total falls as snow. Drought in summer is a recurring risk for Moldovan agriculture. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Chișinău's continental climate — hot, sunny summers and cold winters, with rainfall concentrated in early summer — is what makes Moldova one of Europe's great wine countries, though the same pattern leaves it vulnerable to summer drought when the thunderstorms fail to arrive.

To follow any single measurement in Chisinau more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.