Nikolskie frosts: Muscovites are expecting a sharp drop in temperature
In the morning on Thursday, December 19, residents of Moscow and the Moscow region faced severe frosts. The air temperature in some places dropped to about -20 degrees Celsius. During the day the air will warm up, because of which the temperature difference for the day will be about 20 degrees. More about the weather in the capital in the coming days - in the material "Izvestia".
Weather in Moscow: what to expect on December 19-22
Today, December 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Memorial Day of Nicholas the Wonderworker, which is popularly known as Nikola the Winter. Back in ancient times, our ancestors observed the weather and noticed that it was on this day that severe frosts came, which were called St. Nicholas frosts. And indeed, on Thursday in the European part of Russia came noticeable cold.
The morning of December 19 in Moscow and Moscow region became really cold, because of which the residents of the capital had to seriously insulate themselves. According to Evgeny Tishkovets, a leading specialist of the weather center "Phobos", night values of -8.6 degrees are the norm for this time. However, in different regions of the Moscow region, the air temperature dropped to -19 and -20 degrees. The coldest point in the Moscow region was New Jerusalem, where thermometer columns showed -21.7 degrees. In Moscow, at VDNKh, it was recorded -16.6 degrees. According to the website of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia, frost in most of the Central Federal District will not last long, the exception will be the Kostroma region. At the same time, experts note that the increase in temperature values will come sharply.
"During today's weather conditions will be determined by the influence and passage of a warm atmospheric front. Therefore, if in the first part of the day variable cloudiness without precipitation, then after noon the sky will begin to close multilayered clouds. By evening, snowfalls will fall, snowstorms will start, and localized freezing rain is not excluded in the west closer to midnight," said Eugene Tishkovets in his Telegram channel.
The change of weather by the end of the week, according to the Hydrometeorological Center, will bring an active cyclone.
So, today, in the afternoon in Moscow you can expect snow, ice and gradual warming. According to "Yandex Weather", already at night thermometer columns may return to 0 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow, December 20, the air may warm up to +3 degrees. However, tomorrow, along with warming, one should expect icy rain, reports the Hydrometeorological Center.
According to "Yandex Weather", it is not worth to expect strong temperature changes in the capital until the end of the week:
- December 20. The air temperature will warm up to +3 degrees, it may rain and wet snow;
- December 21. Thermometers will show from -2 to +2 degrees. Cloudy weather is expected;
- December 22. Sunday will be a little cooler, about -2 degrees. The main part of the day will be cloudy, and by evening it may snow lightly.
In the coming week, according to the Hydrometeorological Center, western cyclones will again bring above normal temperatures to the capital region, and heavy precipitation is also expected.
Winter Solstice - 2024
Nikolskie frosts came to the capital just before an important astronomical event - the winter solstice, which will occur on December 21 at 12:20 Moscow time. At this time of year comes the longest night, and the day turns out to be the shortest.
Thus, in the Northern Hemisphere will come astronomical winter, and at noon from the Earth it will be possible to observe the lowest position of the Sun above the horizon.
In Moscow on December 21, dawn is expected at 08:59 Moscow time, and sunset - already at 15:58 Moscow time. The duration of the daylight hours will be only six hours and 59 minutes. On the day of the summer solstice, which falls on June 21, the sun remains in the sky for 17 hours and 33 minutes, and the night lasts only six hours and 27 minutes.
