January in Russia typically evokes images of residents in Moscow trudging through wintry scenes clad in heavy coats, rather than witnessing delicate snowdrops sprouting amid grassy patches near Christmas trees that are still standing.
This year, however, the Moscow River is free of ice, and the usually frigid temperatures of January have soared well above freezing, creating a stark contrast with the typical harsh winter conditions.
Across the vast expanse of Russia, including Siberia—regions that usually experience severe cold—many areas are also uncharacteristically warm, mirroring a global trend.
According to recent findings by the European climate agency Copernicus, the first 27 days of January 2025 have been recorded as the hottest such period since records began in 1940, with averages surpassing those from 2024, which was previously noted as exceptionally warm.
Johan Rockström, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, indicated that extreme weather phenomena, including wildfires in Los Angeles and heat surges in Saudi Arabia alongside Russia’s mild conditions, are “with a very high degree of scientific certainty” linked to human-induced climate change.
He emphasized that while humanity does not solely cause these events, we are exacerbating their impact, making them increasingly severe.
Reports from Russia’s Hydrometeorological Research Center reveal that several regions in the country experienced record-breaking high temperatures, surpassing decades-old records earlier this week.
Roman Vilfand, who leads research at the center, has suggested that January 2025 could set a new record for warmth, eclipsing the previous high recorded in January 2020 when the average temperature reached 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
In a traditional Russian Orthodox celebration known as the Epiphany, many festivities were postponed in several areas due to safety warnings regarding thin ice, marking a notable change in typical winter activities.
Moreover, Lake Baikal, renowned as the deepest freshwater lake in the world, has seen a delayed onset of ice formation this year, with experts noting that it has been unusually slow.
Leonid Starkov, a meteorologist based in Moscow, explained that a surge of warm air from the Atlantic has created what he described as a “significant temperature anomaly” in the region.
Starkov added, “So the winter is in question, even in Siberia,” reflecting concerns about the season’s characteristics.
The unusual warmth has led to the blooming of snowdrops in botanical gardens at Moscow State University, with one iconic location showcasing a Christmas tree amid the blooming flowers.
Biologist Vladimir Chub, who oversees the gardens, mentioned it is common to see these flowers emerge during the thaw in February or March, but this year they blossomed earlier than expected, suggesting a strange shift in seasonal patterns.
One local resident, Yulia, expressed her bewilderment at the absence of traditional winter weather by questioning, “Where is the winter?” as she navigated the sunny, snowless streets of Moscow.
