Climate in Saint Petersburg (Russia)

In St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), the climate is continental, with very cold winters and pleasantly warm summers. Snowfall is frequent in winter as well as rainfall in summer. The wind often blows, although it calms down a bit in summer.
The city is located in the west of the Russian Federation, at 60 degrees north latitude, at the mouth of the Neva River, on the Gulf of Finland, which is part of the Baltic Sea.

The temperature in the two coldest months (January and February) is about -5 °C (23 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is 19 °C (66 °F).

Precipitation is not abundant, since it amounts to 670 millimeters (26.4 inches) per year, but it's frequent. In winter, when it occurs in the form of snow, it's even more frequent, but given the cold temperatures, it's rarely abundant.



Winter, from late November to late March, is very cold: the average temperature in January and February is -5 °C (23 °F). The Gulf of Finland and nearby Lake Ladoga do not mitigate the winter cold by much because they are usually frozen. The wind blows frequently, increasing the feeling of cold.
The days are very short, especially in December and January, while they start to get longer in February. On December 21, the winter solstice, the sun rises at about 10 a.m. and sets at 3.50 p.m., it sets at 4.30 p.m. on January 15, and at 5.50 p.m. on February 15.
There are different meteorological situations depending on the prevailing currents.
When the westerlies from the Atlantic Ocean prevail, the temperature fluctuates around 0 °C (32 °F) and may even rise a few degrees above; the sky is gray, and a light snow or cold drizzle falls.
More often, the temperature remains a few degrees below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) all day long, the sky is still gray, and a light snow falls.
Then, there are periods when cold air masses from the North Pole or Siberia prevail: in these cases, the temperature sinks well below freezing. Minimum temperatures of -30 °C (-22 °F) and even lower were once relatively frequent. The coldest record is -35.6 °C (-32.1 °F) and was set in January 1940.
Light snow can fall even on colder days, and in the winter months, a bit of snow falling can be seen almost every day.

Spring, in April and May, is cold and windy, especially in the first part, but the days get longer, and by the middle of May, you can see the white nights, that is, when it doesn't get completely dark even at midnight.
In early April, the temperature can still be around freezing or below, and it can still snow. With each passing week, the temperatures rises a bit, and you can experience the first mild days, though it continues to get cold at night, often still in May.
By May, usually in the second half, there can be the first hot days, with temperatures approaching 30 °C (86 °F).

Summer, from June to August, is mild: the average temperature in July is 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). Some periods are cool, windy and rainy, and it happens more often in August than in June and July.
However, there may also be quite hot and sunny periods, with maximum temperatures approach 30 °C (86 °F), while nights remain cool.
Occasionally, there can be hot and muggy periods, usually of short duration. The maximum temperature exceeds 30 °C (86 °F) for 3/4 days a year. The highest record is 37.1 °C (98.8 °F) and was set in August 2010.
The days are very long, and the white nights occur until early August. This phenomenon, however, is more evident in June and early July, since the day when the sun is closer to the horizon at midnight is June 21, the summer solstice.

Autumn, from September to November, is initially quite cool and rainy, and then becomes increasingly more cold and gray. The first snowfalls can occur already in October, although snow covers the ground in a more stable manner from the third week of November. In November, the days are already very short: in November 15, the sun rises at 9 a.m. and sets at 4.30 in the afternoon.

In St. Petersburg, the sun shines on average for 1,635 hours a year. The amount of sunshine is definitely scarce from October to February, when the sun is hardly ever seen, while it is acceptable from May to August, also because of the length of the days, which increases the chance of seeing the sun, when the sky clears up.

The sea in St. Petersburg is cold all year round; in winter, it's near the freezing point (which, being that the sea is salty, is at -2 °C or 28.5 °F) and can sometimes freeze; in summer, it only reaches 15.5 °C (59.5 °F) in August.

Best Time

The best time to visit St. Petersburg is the summer, from June to August. The temperature is generally mild or pleasantly warm, but there can be rainy and cool days, so it's better to bring a sweatshirt, a jacket and an umbrella, hoping not to have to use them. In fact, hot and sunny days can occur as well. June is cooler than July, but in the summer solstice period, the white nights are more evident.

Saint Petersburg - Climate data

In Saint Petersburg, the average temperature of the coldest month (February) is of -5 °C (23 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
Precipitation amounts to 670 millimeters (26.4 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 35 mm (1.4 in) in the driest months (February, March) to 85 mm (3.3 in) in the wettest ones (July, August) Here is the average precipitation.
The sea temperature ranges from 1 °C (34 °F) in February, March to
There are on average around 1635 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.

Saint Petersburg - Weather by month

Based on the period 1991-2020

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January is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -4.8 °C (23 °F), with a minimum of -6.9 °C (19.6 °F) and a maximum of -2.8 °C (27 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -19 °C (-2.5 °F). However, it dropped to -28.8 °C (-19.8 °F) in January 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 3.5 °C (38.5 °F). However, it reached 8.4 °C (47.1 °F) in January 2007.
Precipitation amounts to 45 mm (1.8 in), distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 6 hours and 55 minutes. So the days are short.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 10% of the time.
The average humidity is 86%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 14 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 2 °C (35 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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February, the coldest month of the year, is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -5 °C (23 °F), with a minimum of -7.4 °C (18.7 °F) and a maximum of -2.6 °C (27.3 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -18.5 °C (-1.5 °F). However, it dropped to -27.7 °C (-17.9 °F) in February 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 3.5 °C (38.5 °F). However, it reached 7.5 °C (45.5 °F) in February 2020.
Precipitation amounts to 35 mm (1.4 in), distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 2 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 21% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 13 kph (8 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 1 °C (33.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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March is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -0.9 °C (30 °F), with a minimum of -4 °C (24.8 °F) and a maximum of 2.2 °C (36 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -13 °C (8.5 °F). However, it dropped to -21.5 °C (-6.7 °F) in March 2003.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 9.5 °C (49 °F). However, it reached 15.3 °C (59.5 °F) in March 2015.
Precipitation amounts to 35 mm (1.4 in), distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 13 kph (8 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 1 °C (33.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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April is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 5.6 °C (42 °F), with a minimum of 1.7 °C (35.1 °F) and a maximum of 9.4 °C (48.9 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -4.5 °C (23.5 °F). However, it dropped to -12.5 °C (9.5 °F) in April 1998.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 20 °C (68 °F). However, it reached 25.3 °C (77.5 °F) in April 2000.
Precipitation amounts to 40 mm (1.6 in), distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is 12 kph (8 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 2 °C (36 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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May is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 11.7 °C (53 °F), with a minimum of 7.2 °C (45 °F) and a maximum of 16.2 °C (61.2 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 1 °C (34 °F). However, it dropped to -3.9 °C (25 °F) in May 2011.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 25.5 °C (78.5 °F). However, it reached 33 °C (91.4 °F) in May 2014.
Precipitation amounts to 45 mm (1.8 in), distributed over 8 days.
The day lasts on average 17 hours and 10 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 62%.
The average wind speed is 12 kph (7 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 5.5 °C (42 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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June is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 16.3 °C (61 °F), with a minimum of 12.2 °C (54 °F) and a maximum of 20.4 °C (68.7 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 6.5 °C (44 °F). However, it dropped to 2.9 °C (37.2 °F) in June 2003.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 28 °C (82.5 °F). However, it reached 34.6 °C (94.3 °F) in June 1998.
Precipitation amounts to 70 mm (2.8 in), distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 18 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are very long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 68%.
The average wind speed is 11 kph (7 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 10 °C (50 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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July, the warmest month of the year, is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of 19.3 °C (67 °F), with a minimum of 15.4 °C (59.7 °F) and a maximum of 23.2 °C (73.8 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 10.5 °C (51 °F). However, it dropped to 5.9 °C (42.6 °F) in July 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 29.5 °C (85 °F). However, it reached 35.3 °C (95.5 °F) in July 2010.
Precipitation amounts to 85 mm (3.3 in), distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 17 hours and 55 minutes. So the days are very long.
There are on average 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 48% of the time.
The average humidity is 71%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 10 kph (7 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 14 °C (57.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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August is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of 17.7 °C (64 °F), with a minimum of 14 °C (57.2 °F) and a maximum of 21.4 °C (70.5 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 8.5 °C (47.5 °F). However, it dropped to 4.7 °C (40.5 °F) in August 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 28.5 °C (83 °F). However, it reached 37.1 °C (98.8 °F) in August 2010.
Precipitation amounts to 85 mm (3.3 in), distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 7 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 45% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 10 kph (6 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 15.5 °C (59.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is cold for swimming.

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September is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of 12.6 °C (55 °F), with a minimum of 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) and a maximum of 15.8 °C (60.4 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around 3.5 °C (38 °F). However, it dropped to -1.6 °C (29.1 °F) in September 1993.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 23 °C (74 °F). However, it reached 30.4 °C (86.7 °F) in September 1992.
Precipitation amounts to 60 mm (2.4 in), distributed over 9 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 34% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 11 kph (7 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 13 °C (55 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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October is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of 6.4 °C (44 °F), with a minimum of 4.2 °C (39.6 °F) and a maximum of 8.6 °C (47.5 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -3 °C (27 °F). However, it dropped to -7.1 °C (19.2 °F) in October 1992.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 15 °C (59.5 °F). However, it reached 20.2 °C (68.4 °F) in October 2007.
Precipitation amounts to 60 mm (2.4 in), distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 23% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 12 kph (8 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 9 °C (48.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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November is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of 1 °C (34 °F), with a minimum of -0.7 °C (30.7 °F) and a maximum of 2.6 °C (36.7 °F).
On the coldest nights, which normally occur at the end of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -8.5 °C (16.5 °F). However, it dropped to -16.8 °C (1.8 °F) in November 2010.
On the warmest days, which normally occur at the beginning of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 9 °C (48 °F). However, it reached 11.4 °C (52.5 °F) in November 2011.
Precipitation amounts to 60 mm (2.4 in), distributed over 11 days.
The day lasts on average 7 hours and 30 minutes. So the days are short.
There is an average of 1 hour of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 11% of the time.
The average humidity is 86%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 13 kph (8 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 6 °C (43 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.

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December is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of -2.4 °C (28 °F), with a minimum of -4.2 °C (24.4 °F) and a maximum of -0.7 °C (30.7 °F).
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around -13.5 °C (7.5 °F). However, it dropped to -26.5 °C (-15.7 °F) in December 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around 5 °C (41.5 °F). However, it reached 10.9 °C (51.6 °F) in December 2006.
Precipitation amounts to 50 mm (2 in), distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 6 hours and 0 minutes. So the days are short. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 0.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 7% of the time.
The average humidity is 86%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is 14 kph (9 mph).
The average sea temperature is of 3.5 °C (38.5 °F). Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.