The Weather Is ... HOT!

I used to blog about the coldness in Moscow.  Some examples are here, here, and here.  I am embarrassed to say, but I long for those days.

It has been terribly hot for a long time in Moscow.  The chart below shows the temperature trend from 1 June until today.  Notice the trend, and you will note that hotter days are likely to come in August.  Also, notice that it has been steadily hotter than average for nearly all of July.

There are many rivers, lakes, and swaps around Moscow.  This means that we have a miserable humid heat.  And, unfortunately, there is a big swamp fire nearby that tinges the humidity with a nice touch of musky smoke.  Let me put it another way:  this ain't no Club Med (whose moniker these days is "where happiness means the world").

Moscow is far better equipped to handle the cold than the heat.  Walls are thick, windows are well insulated, and air conditioning is not ubiquitous here.  But, Muscovites are dealing with the wether remarkably well given that temperatures and humidity points are enough to make any tough Texan fan himself with a stetson, wipe the sweat off of his brow, and cry AC.  Yessir, it's pretty darn hot over here.

How HOT you ask?  Let me tell you, and let me tell you and we have gone above 40 C (104 F) in parts of the city.

For those who like to track ranges, here are some official 2010 statistics (according to Wunderground):

• Coldest day:  January 26; -14 F | -25 C
• Hotest day:  July 26; 99 F | 37 C
• Span:  182 days
• Temperature swing:  113 F | 62 C
• For nerds only:  Yes, there are some rounding errors in the numbers above