From Sunshine to Snowfall: Talking About the Weather in Russian

Weather… it can be unpredictable at times, especially here in Russia. Our country is vast, and the climate varies across different regions. While it may be snowing in the north, the south could still be experiencing warm temperatures.

Weather impacts various aspects of our lives, from planning outdoor activities to preparing for different seasons. It plays a significant role in our everyday conversations. We often discuss the weather with friends, neighbors, and acquaintances, even if it may seem trivial. But how do we talk about it in Russian? How can we accurately describe unpleasant or pleasant weather? Let’s find out!

In this article, we will explore essential vocabulary that will empower you to confidently and accurately engage in weather-related discussions.

Basic Weather Terms

When discussing weather, it is essential to be familiar with fundamental weather terms.

пого́да – weather

прогно́з пого́ды – weather forcast

температу́ра – temperature

кли́мат – climate

жарá – heat

хо́лод – cold

о́блачность – overcast

влáжность – humidity

осáдки – precipitation

со́лнце – sun

не́бо – sky

о́блако – cloud

ту́ча – black cloud (before rain)

ве́тер – wind

дождь (m.) – rain

ли́вень (m.) – shower

снег – snow

град – hail

росá – dew

тумáн – fog

и́ней – freezing rain

See Also: Winter Vocabulary Word List in Russian

Asking about the Weather

In Russia people usually ask about the weather by saying:

Какая сегодня погода? – How’s the weather today?

Какая погода будет завтра?– What will the weather be like tomorrow?

Какая сегодня температура? – What’s the temperature today?

Сколько сегодня градусов? – How much degrees is today?

Какую погоду обещают завтра? – What’s the forecast for tomorrow?

Visual weather dictionary in Russian:

 

Adjectives to Describe the Weather

Use adjectives or adverbs to provide specific details about the weather condition.

холодный – cold (холодно – it’s cold)

тёплый – warm (тепло – it’s warm)

жаркий – hot (жарко – it’s hot)

морозный – frosty, freezing (морозно – it’s frosty)

туманный – foggy (туманно – it’s foggy)

дождливый – rainy (дождливо – it’s rainy)

прохладный – cool (прохладно – it’s cool)

ветреный – windy (ветрено – it’s windy)

солнечный – sunny (солнечно – it’s sunny)

пасмурный/облачный – cloudy (пасмурно/облачно – it’s cloudy)

безо́блачный – cloudless

“Облачный” and “пасмурный” are both Russian adjectives used to describe cloudy weather conditions. While they are somewhat similar in meaning, there are subtle differences between the two:

Облачный indicates a general condition of cloudiness. It describes a weather situation where there are clouds in the sky, but they may not completely obstruct the sunlight. It can be translated as “cloudy” or “partly cloudy” in English. In this case, there is a mix of clouds and visible sky.

Пасмурный specifically refers to overcast or heavily cloudy weather conditions. It describes a sky that is covered entirely by a thick layer of clouds, resulting in reduced or minimal visibility of the sun. It can be translated as “overcast” or “cloudy” in English. In this case, the sky appears gray or dull due to the dense cloud cover.

Pay Attention to Agreement. Ensure proper noun, adjective, and verb agreement in terms of gender and number. Modify adjectives to match the gender of the noun they describe, and use appropriate verb endings to match the subject (for example, тёплый день – a warm day, тёплая погода – warm weather, тёплое время суток – the warm part of the day).

Extreme Weather Conditions

Extreme weather conditions have the ability to both captivate and challenge us. They showcase the immense power of nature while reminding us of our vulnerability in the face of its force. From roaring hurricanes and destructive tornadoes to bone-chilling blizzards and scorching heatwaves, these phenomena can leave a lasting impact on landscapes and lives.

Let’s uncover the vocabulary and terminology necessary to understand and discuss these extraordinary phenomena.

урагáн – hurricane

торнáдо – tornado

мете́ль – blizzard

жарá – heatwave

зáсуха – drought

наводне́ние – flood

грозá – thunderstorm

мо́лния – lightning

цунáми– tsunami

цикло́н – cyclone

песчáная бу́ря – sandstorm

лесно́й пожáр – wildfire

землетрясе́ние – earthquake

изверже́ние вулкáна – volcanic eruption

смерч – waterspout

With this expanded vocabulary, you can now discuss various extreme weather conditions with more precision and detail. Use these words and their translations to enhance your understanding of extreme weather events and improve your ability to communicate about them in Russian.

Seasons and Climate

Russia, with its vast territory, boasts a diverse range of climates and weather conditions. From the harsh Arctic climate in the northern regions to the more temperate climate in the south, Russia offers a wide array of weather phenomena.

In the northern parts of Russia, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, winters are long and cold. With average temperatures dropping to -10°C, snowfall is common. During the summer months, temperatures rise to a pleasant 20-25°C, bringing sunny days and a vibrant atmosphere with numerous festivals and cultural events.

In the southern regions, like Sochi and Krasnodar Krai, the climate is more moderate. Winters are mild, with average temperatures ranging from 5-10°C, while summers bring enjoyable heat, reaching 25-30°C. Sochi is renowned for its beautiful beaches, mountain landscapes, and opportunities for various water sports, making it a popular tourist destination.

Siberia and the Far East, on the other hand, exhibit the most extreme weather conditions in Russia. Moving up north, the weather becomes even more severe, with cold Arctic winters and extremely low temperatures. In summer, particularly in the Far East, hot days with average temperatures around 30°C and high humidity are not uncommon. Such climatic conditions create unique environments, including the vast Siberian taiga and a rich variety of flora and fauna.

Oymyakon is widely recognized as one of the coldest inhabited places not only in Russia but also in the world. Located in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), in eastern Siberia, Oymyakon holds the reputation for being the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on Earth.

It experiences an extremely cold subarctic climate, characterized by long, brutally cold winters and short, cool summers. In fact, it holds the record for the lowest recorded temperature in the Northern Hemisphere, with a reading of -67.7 degrees Celsius (-89.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in 1933.

Russia experiences distinct seasons, each with its own weather characteristics. Understanding the vocabulary associated with seasons and climate will enable you to engage in discussions about weather patterns more effectively.

Climate-Related Vocabulary

arctic – арктический

subarctic – субарктический

temperate – умеренный

continental – континентальный

mediterranean – средиземноморский

humid – влажный

dry – сухой

tropical – тропический

equatorial – экваториальный

Expressions about climate:

На этих территориях господствует умеренный климат. – These territories are dominated by moderate climate.

Погода непредсказуемая. – The weather is unpredictable.

Климат здесь суровый. – The climate here is harsh.

В этом регионе сухой климат. – This region has a dry climate.

Здесь теплее, чем в том месте, где я жила раньше. – It’s warmer here than where I used to live.

В Петербурге всегда влажно. – It is always humid in St. Petersburg.

Seasons-Related Vocabulary

время года – season

весна – spring

лето – summer

осень – autumn/fall

зима – winter

сезонный – seasonal

Expressions about seasons:

Мне нравятся яркие цвета осени. (I love the vibrant colors of autumn.)

Лето – моё любимое время года. (Summer is my favorite season.)

Зима в этом регионе очень холодная. (Winter in this region is extremely cold.)

Погода осенью может быть непредсказуемой. (The weather in autumn can be unpredictable.)

See Also: Seasons and Months in Russian

How to Talk About the Weather in Russian

Talking about the weather is a common topic of conversation in any language, and Russian is no exception. Regardless of whether you’re discussing the current weather conditions or predicting future weather patterns, knowing how to talk about the weather in Russian can be useful in social interactions.

Here are some key phrases and vocabulary to help you express weather-related conversations in Russian:

Сего́дня хоро́шая пого́да. – The weather is fine today.

плохая погода – a bad weather.

я́сная пого́да – clear skies

о́блачная пого́да – partly cloudy (skies)

неблагоприя́тная пого́да – unfavourable weather (conditions)

Солнечно. – It’s sunny. 

Завтра будет солнечно. – Tomorrow will be a sunny day. 

Мне нравится солнечная погода. – I like sunny weather.

Прекрасный день. – It’s a beautiful day.

Облачно/пасмурно – It’s cloudy.

Холодно. – It’s cold.

Тепло. – It’s warm.

Жарко. – It’s hot.

Note that we use adverbs ending in -o here to describe the weather. We can also use adjectives with nouns but if we just want to make a short statement about how the weather is it’s better to do it with adverbs like пасмурно, холодно, жарко etc. These two are similar: сегодня солнечная погода and сегодня солнечно (it’s sunny today), however the second one is more common. Collocations “жаркая погода” or “холодная погода” sound quite unnatural. 

Ду́ет ве́тер. – It’s windy.

Светит солнце. – The sun is shining.

Идёт снег. – It’s snowing.

Идёт дождь. – It’s raining.

Льёт как из ведра. – It’s raining cats and dogs.

Notice that we use the verb “идти” with raining and snowing. We literally say that the snow or the rain “goes”. It’s another funny thing about the Russian language. 

Here are some collocations with the word дождь (rain):

Here are some phrases to describe certain weather conditions:

Сегодня очень сильный ветер. – The wind is very strong today.

Вчера была сильная жара. – Yesterday it was very hot.

Небо так быстро темнеет. Скоро пойдет дождь. – The sky is getting dark so quickly. It’s going to rain soon.

Сегодня довольно прохладно. Завтра обещают жаркий день. – Today it is quite cool. The weather forecasters promise a hot day for tomorrow.

На улице холодно. – It is cold outside.

На улице ветрено. – It is windy outside.

The phrase “на улице” is commonly used to indicate “outside” when describing the weather or activities taking place outdoors. The preposition “на” means “on” or “in,” and “улице” translates to “street.” However, it is important to note that “на улице” can be used more broadly to refer to any outdoor area or open space, not necessarily limited to just streets.

When discussing the weather, using “на улице” helps specify that the conditions pertain to the outdoor environment. Here are some examples:

На улице дождь, поэтому возьми зонтик. – It’s raining outside, so take an umbrella.

На улице ветрено, оденься потеплее. – It’s windy outside, so dress warmly.

Using “на улице” helps to distinguish the weather conditions you are referring to as being specific to the outdoor surroundings. It adds a level of clarity to your descriptions and ensures that the reader or listener understands that you are talking about the conditions outside rather than indoors.

See Also: Geographic Terms and Types of Landscapes in Russian

Other phrases to talk about the weather:

Летом бывают грозы. – In summer, thunderstorms occur.

Я не люблю холод. – I don’t like the cold.

Завтра ожидается сильный ветер. – Strong winds are expected tomorrow.

Вчера был холодный день без солнца. – Yesterday was a cold day without sun.

Летом в этой стране обычно очень жарко. – In this country, it is usually very hot in summer.

Ночью температура падает до нуля. – At night, the temperature drops to zero.

Утром был густой туман, но он быстро рассеялся. – There was dense fog in the morning, but it quickly dispersed.

Ветер сегодня сильный и порывистый. – The wind is strong and gusty today.

Зима в этих местах суровая и морозная. – Winter in these places is harsh and frosty.

Я не выношу жару, предпочитаю прохладу. – I can’t stand the heat, I prefer coolness.

Утром было прохладно, но днем стало теплее. – It was cool in the morning, but it became warmer during the day.

Небо ясное и безоблачное, идеальная погода для пикника. – The sky is clear and cloudless, perfect weather for a picnic.

Dialogues About the Weather

In conclusion, I offer you some short dialogs about the weather in Russian, followed by their English translations.

A: Какая у вас погода сегодня? (What’s your weather like today?)
B: Сегодня облачно, но не сильно холодно. А у вас? (Today is cloudy, but not very cold. What about yours?)
A: А у нас идут дожди. (And we’re getting rain.)

A: Завтра будет дождь? (Is it going to rain tomorrow?)
B: Да, прогноз погоды обещает дождливый день. (Yes, the weather forecast is predicting a rainy day.)

A: Как тебе погода этим летом? (How do you like the weather this summer?)
B: Отлично. Я обожаю жаркие и солнечные дни. (Just great. I love hot and sunny days.)

A: Ох, на улице так холодно! (Oh, it’s so cold outside!)
B: Да, зима пришла, время доставать тёплые шапки и перчатки. (Yes, winter has arrived, time to get out our warm hats and gloves.)

Feel free to use these dialogues as examples for practicing conversations about the weather in Russian. They can help you build your vocabulary and improve your ability to discuss weather conditions in different contexts.