‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
TT
20

‘Less Snow’: Warm January Weather Breaks Records in Moscow

A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)
A woman walks with a stroller near a pond during warm weather in Moscow, Russia, 28 January 2025. (EPA)

January 2025 is on track to be one of the warmest in Moscow on record, meteorologists reported on Wednesday, with two of the past days breaking all-time daily temperature highs.

Thermometer readings on Wednesday have not dipped below an "April-like" 3.8 degrees Celsius (38.8 Fahrenheit), much higher than the historical average below freezing, according to Russia's Phobos weather center.

Residents in the capital told AFP there was less snow for children to play with, and that there was "mud everywhere", making dog walks more challenging.

Experts warn more temperature records will be broken in the future as human-driven climate change disrupts global weather patterns.

"Of course, we don't like winter like this... Everything should be in moderation," 68-year-old pensioner Galina Kazakova told AFP in central Moscow.

"It is very bad for nature, because the snow should lie on the fields, so that it melts, so that everything grows well," she added.

Monday and Tuesday were the warmest of those dates since records started, while Wednesday is also set to beat its historical high, Russia's RBK news outlet reported, citing meteorologists.

"January, which is approaching a heat record, continues to surprise," meteorologist Mikhail Leus said on Telegram, posting a video of chanterelle mushrooms poking through patches of snow in the forest.

Central Russia's state meteorological service said Moscow was on track for its "second warmest January" since records began, beaten only by January 2020.

Russian state media reported January 2025 could be warmer than even that year.

Climatologist Alexey Karnaukhov was uncertain about whether this January would be the warmest.

"It's hard to say whether there will be a record. In 2020, there was no stable snow cover in Russia's midland either, and this year is not unique," Karnaukhov told AFP.

"We live in an era of global warming, warm years will become more and more frequent. Even if the current values turn out to be a record, it will definitely not be the last," he told AFP.

On the streets of the capital, residents expressed both joy and concern at the unseasonably warm weather.

"I like it all. It is very pleasant to walk," said 19-year-old student Olga Medvedeva.

"I like winter better the way it was," said Elena Aleksandrova, 73.

"We take the dog for walks, he likes to play in the snow too. Now where can you walk? There is mud everywhere."



Stargazing Event Launched in Umm Al-'Asafir in Saudi Arabia

The site is equipped with advanced astronomical telescopes, allowing visitors to observe stars and galaxies in an ideal atmosphere free from light pollution. (SPA)
The site is equipped with advanced astronomical telescopes, allowing visitors to observe stars and galaxies in an ideal atmosphere free from light pollution. (SPA)
TT
20

Stargazing Event Launched in Umm Al-'Asafir in Saudi Arabia

The site is equipped with advanced astronomical telescopes, allowing visitors to observe stars and galaxies in an ideal atmosphere free from light pollution. (SPA)
The site is equipped with advanced astronomical telescopes, allowing visitors to observe stars and galaxies in an ideal atmosphere free from light pollution. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority launched a 10-day stargazing event on Sunday in Umm al-'Asafir valley, located 50 kilometers south of Rafha Governorate in the Northern Borders region.

Part of the Winter at Darb Zubaidah season and designed for astronomy and nature enthusiasts, the event offers a unique opportunity to explore the night sky.

The site is equipped with advanced astronomical telescopes, allowing visitors to observe stars and galaxies in an ideal atmosphere free from light pollution.

Through this initiative, the authority seeks to promote astronomical culture, raise awareness of space sciences, and inspire visitors to contemplate the wonders of the universe under the magical night sky of Umm al-'Asafir.