Moscow, the capital of Russia, sits on the flat East European Plain in the west of the country, on the Moskva River far from any moderating sea, at approximately 55.75°N, 37.62°E. It has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with cold, long, snowy winters and warm, changeable summers, and a large annual temperature range that reflects its inland, continental position, open to both Arctic and Atlantic air.

Summer, from June to August, is warm and the wettest season, with July the warmest month — average highs around 23–25°C and mild nights. It is changeable: Atlantic fronts bring cool, showery spells, while spells of hot continental air can push temperatures above 30°C, as in the extreme heatwave of 2010. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, and the long days bring plenty of daylight.

Winter, from November to March, is long, cold and snowy, with January and February the coldest — average highs around -6°C and lows near -10°C, and cold snaps driven by Arctic or Siberian air that can plunge temperatures below -25°C. Snow blankets the city for months, typically from November until April, and the days are short and often grey, though bright, crisp, deeply cold days also occur.

Moscow receives around 690–710 mm of precipitation a year, with a clear summer maximum from thunderstorms and a fairly even spread the rest of the year; a good share of the cold-season total falls as snow, which accumulates and lies deep through the long winter. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Moscow's inland, continental position produces one of the widest seasonal swings of any major European city — from -25°C winter nights to 30°C-plus summer afternoons — with the January-to-July mean differing by nearly 29°C. The long, snowy winter defines life in the city, while spring and autumn are short, changeable transitional seasons prone to mud and rapid shifts between mild and cold.

To follow any single measurement in Moscow 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.