Moscow and several major cities across the European part of Russia are sweltering under a record-breaking spring heatwave, with summer-like temperatures expected to grip the capital until the weekend.
Russia’s Hydrometeorological Center said Moscow shattered a daily record on Tuesday after the temperature in the city climbed to 30.6 degrees Celsius (87 degrees Fahrenheit). The previous record was set in 1979.
Meteorologists at the Phobos weather center confirmed that Monday and Tuesday marked the warmest consecutive period of 2026 for the capital. Forecasters expect the intense heat to hold through Friday, with afternoon highs hovering around 32 C (90 F).
The sudden blast of heat follows an unusually tumultuous spring. Just weeks ago, a rare, late-April winter storm pelted the capital, breaking a daily snowfall record that had stood for nearly 150 years.
Beyond Moscow, St. Petersburg logged its first 30 C (86 F) day of the year on Tuesday, while other northern cities like Kostroma and Perm shattered daytime records on Monday that had remained unbroken since 1955.
