The first thing that people ask me about Siberia, are winter temperatures. For some reason, Siberia is seen as a place with eternal snow, which is not true. The weather here differs a lot in regards to a region. I live in the south of Siberia, but it is quite a particular kind of south. Winter starts in November and finishes in March, but it can snow even in June. Here, winter temperatures drop as low as -35ºC, while in summer it’s about 30-35ºC. How can you survive such temperatures? Easily. You just get used to it and choose appropriate clothes.
But we are not considered “the coldest country” for nothing, as Russia accounts for four of the top ten coldest towns on Earth.
In Oymyakon, in winter it is normally -50ºC, while the lowest temperature was -71,2ºC in 1924.
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Interesting facts
In winter, you can often see people with white nose tips, because the simply froze on their way home. This is particularly true for people with long noses.
Winter limits makeup opportunities. If you use mascara, it can simply freeze when you are outside and will start to melt when you get inside, running down your cheeks like black rivers.
Siberian kind of fun in winter is to take a steam-bath in the countryside and then go outside and jump right into the snowbank or ice hole, for the toughest guys.
On Epiphany day, there is a tradition to jump into an ice hole and dive underwater three times.
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65% of Russian territory are areas of permafrost - winter there never leaves.
Harsh weather breeds a harder soul and better health. A few years ago, papers were full of stories of a Siberian guy who fell off a train in winter and ran for seven kilometers in a T-shirt and flip-flops, till the next station. It was -45ºC outside.
Snow levels can be as high as a one-store building, if not taken care of.
Low temperatures don’t free children from going to school. In the south, lessons are canceled when the temp's down to 30ºC, while in northern territories schools work until it falls below -50ºC. Our children just have to grow brave, you know?
To experience Siberian winter, it’s better to travel to lake Baikal. It has such pure water that when it freezes you can still see through meters of ice.
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