MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Meteorologists forecast that winter will return to the central part of European Russia, bringing temperatures down to as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit), Alexander Shuvalov, head of the Meteo weather center, said.
"Forecasts suggest that winter will make a comeback, but it won’t be severe - rather, a gradual cooldown is expected across the center of European Russia, with a noticeable drop in the mid-latitude regions. <...> Starting next week, temperatures will range from minus one to minus six degrees Celsius (21-30 degrees Fahrenheit).
By the weekend, they could dip to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), and by mid-February, they may plunge to minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit). This applies to the Tula, Ryazan, Moscow, and Tver regions. Meanwhile, in the southern and southwestern parts of Central Russia, the temperature drop will be less pronounced: in Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Orel, and Belgorod, temperatures will hover between minus 8 and minus 10 degrees Celsius (14-17 degrees Fahrenheit)," Shuvalov said at a press conference in Moscow.
People living in Central Russia can expect some snowfall, but accumulations will be light, the meteorologist emphasized. A snow cover of up to 12 centimeters may form in the Lipetsk and Voronezh regions, while in other parts of Central Russia, it will likely reach just 5-7 centimeters.
The latter half of February will also be mild, but temperatures are unlikely to spike as they did in late January, the specialist said. "The temperature will rise and fluctuate between minus one and minus six degrees Celsius (21-30 degrees Fahrenheit)," Shuvalov noted.
The preliminary forecast indicates that March will also be warmer than usual across European Russia, the meteorologist added.