For two hundred days a year Murmansk is covered with snow, although in the south of the region the winter is slightly shorter. The ice masses of the North Pole influence the weather as does the contrasting warmth of the Gulf Stream. Professional meteorologists describe the climate of the Murmansk coast as that of a moderately cold, changeable, sea climate, with comparatively mild winters and cool summers. On the other hand, the more southerly town of Kandalaksha, on the same latitude as the Arctic Circle, has a continental climate, which differs from that in Murmansk. The winters there are more severe but the summers are sunnier. The Polar Night, i.e. almost continuous night, officially begins on November 29th and lasts until January 15th. The hours of darkness last longer and longer until the longest night, which is on December 22nd. During this period you may well be lucky enough to witness the unusual natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights. January and February are usually very cold. There are blizzards as well as gale force winds with average speeds of up to 15 metres per second. Hurricanes are also not uncommon and then the wind speed can reach more than 40 metres per second.
In Murmansk, Kola and Severomorsk severe frosts are accompanied by fog, which rises from the relatively ice-free waters of the Gulf of Kola. If frosts set in imfneoiaWy after a thaw, then the roads turn into black ice, to the dread of road users. The sun only begins to shine on the Kola peninsula in the middle of January. March is the brightest and sunniest month of the year. The skiing season begins and in April skiers can even get a sun-tan, but it is not until the end of April or the beginning of May that real spring comes to Murmansk. The official beginning of the Polar b�� is May 22nd. when the sun doesn't set at all. The White Niqhts last until Julv 22nd. It's a rortn tnaf between May and there's never any need to switch on a light.
Summer beyond the Arctic Circle is short, June, July,
August at best, July being the warmest month, when the average temperature is 10� �,
although sometimes it can get to as hot as 30� �. When it's a good summer local
resident! teah be found sunbathing or swimming in the lakes. The shore of Semyonovskoye
Lake, situated not far from the city centre, turns into an actual beach. In the southern
parts of the region hot weather is more common and every single year it is warm enough for
people to swim. In the summer, towns become deserted and most Northerners do their best to
spend their on the trees turn golden and bronze and the weather turns drizzly. Autumn
lasts until October. Overcast, gloomy days can sometimes be interrupted by a spell of
lovely weather, an Indian summer or Babiye Lyeto, as it is known in Russian, making this
memory of the summer come alive again for just a while. The weather in October is cold and
miserable before the first first unwelcome snow starts to fall. Some years it can even
snow in September, but more often than not, this happens in October or November. From this
time on the sun hardly over shines. Possibly, just at the end of November its, last few
glittering rays may flicker over the horizon but the one of the bonuses of the long hard
winter is the celebration that takes place to mark its end. When Polar Night is almost
over, and the sun for a brief moment comes into sight over the horizon for the very first
time, a holiday called "Good morning, Sunshine!" is declared. The whole town
turns into one huge outdoor party. Street traders come out in force, music is everywhere,
theatrical performances can be seen, and of course there is no lack of refreshment: Eat,
Drink and be Merry!
A few weeks later, either at the end of February or at the
beginning of March, usually at the weekend, a similar outdoor holiday takes place, called
"Goodbye, Winter!"