Coldest early May on record in European Russia

The first ten days of May in the European part of Russia may be recognized as the coldest on record, according to Roman Vilfand of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center. Cold air masses from the Arctic Ocean caused temperatures to drop significantly, affecting not only Russia but also Turkey with severe weather.

The first ten-day period of May in the European part of Russia may be recognized as the coldest in the history of observations, according to Roman Vilfand, the scientific head of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center. The region experienced an unusual meteorological situation, where cold air masses from the Arctic Ocean were drawn in, leading to significantly lower temperatures.

Vilfand explained to TASS that two different weather systems—a western anticyclone and an eastern cyclone—contributed to this cold air movement from the Arctic Ocean.

This rare phenomenon caused temperatures in the first ten days of May to drop by 8 – 10 °C (14 – 18 °F) relative to the climatic norm. He also noted that the current weather in the European part of Russia is lagging behind typical patterns by three to four weeks.

As a result of this cold spell, temperatures through May 15 were expected to be 5 – 7 °C (9 – 13 °F) below the norm. The cold air masses originated from the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea, significantly impacting the region’s climate.

On May 13, the cyclone from the European part of Russia reached Turkey, causing a sharp drop in temperatures, strong winds, and heavy rains in some areas. By the evening, snow began to fall in Kocaeli province’s Kartepe district, and in the mountains of Bolu province, about ten villages were covered with a 5 cm (2 inches) layer of snow. Snowfall continued on Tuesday night in Kastamonu province.

The General Department of Meteorology of Turkey has issued a “yellow” level weather danger alert in six provinces due to the threat of heavy precipitation. The cold air advection from Russia has significantly disrupted the usual weather patterns, leading to these severe weather conditions in Turkey.

References:

¹ Early May in Russia broke the observation record – RuNews24 – May 13, 2024

Teo Blašković

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

• Teo Blašković

  Kīlauea episode 49 ends after 7.5 hours of lava fountaining, Hawaii
• Teo Blašković

  Bárðarbunga volcano Aviation Color Code raised to Yellow after intense earthquake swarm, Iceland
• Teo Blašković

  The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report: June 4-10, 2026
• Teo Blašković

  June 10 derecho produces widespread wind damage, tornadoes, and large hail across Midwest and Great Lakes