The world's coldest inhabited places are hidden in Siberia

History · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Russia's geography creates some of the most extreme weather on Earth. From humid subtropical coasts to the world's coldest cities, the country's massive scale allows for a staggering variety of climates, all governed by its distance from the sea and the presence of permafrost.

Russia's climate is primarily defined by its immense size and its distance from the oceans. This creates a dominant continental climate across much of European and Asian Russia. Geographic obstacles determine the nation's particular meteorological trends, even though temperatures typically range from hot to warm during summer and from very cold to cold throughout winter. Mountains in the south block warm air from the Indian Ocean, while the vast plains of the west and north leave the interior exposed to Arctic and Atlantic influences. The country's vast northern and western plains remain open to significant Arctic and Atlantic influences. These factors combine to create a climate that is generally warm to hot in the summer months.

The diversity of these zones is striking. In the west, cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg enjoy a humid continental climate moderated by the Atlantic. In contrast, the far northeast experiences an extreme subarctic climate. This region contains Yakutsk, the world's coldest major city, and Oymyakon, which holds the title of the world's coldest permanently inhabited settlement. These areas face record low temperatures reaching as low as -67.8 °C (-90.0 °F). The inner regions of Northeast Siberia specifically experience extremely severe winters. These subarctic zones are categorized under several distinct Köppen climate types.

The country also hosts unique microclimates. A small portion of the Black Sea coast, specifically Sochi, features a humid subtropical climate with unusually wet winters. Meanwhile, the strip along the Arctic Ocean transitions into polar and ice cap climates. Perhaps most significant to the nation's infrastructure is the fact that approximately 65% of Russian territory is underlain by permafrost, a defining geological feature of the Siberian and northern landscapes. The city of Kaliningrad maintains an Oceanic climate characterized by cool summers and mild winters. Additionally, some areas near the Caspian Sea and Lower Volga possess semi-arid or arid conditions.

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