Weather in Kiev
When traveling to any place, it is advisable to check the weather conditions out there first; so why should Kiev be any exception. This little bit of research will answer questions, like “Do I carry sweaters or cotton clothes?”, “Would light sweaters be enough to face Kiev winters or do I need heavy winter clothing?” and “Should I pack my umbrella or do I take a pair of ice skates?”, and ensure that you carry the right luggage to enjoy the Kiev weather and your trip.
The city of Kiev enjoys a moderately continental humid climate, which translates into warm summers and cold winters. The year begins with the temperature of around 21 °F (-6 °C) and if you are in Kiev at the beginning of the year, you may experience really cold winter days when temperatures barely above the freezing point are the norm. The cold spells, northern and northeastern winds, frozen rivers and sharp drops in temperature are common place in the first quarter of the year. In fact, the lowest recorded temperature in Kiev is -26 °F (-32.2 °C) so make sure that you carry enough warm clothing if you are going to celebrate New Year’s eve in Kiev. Keep your scarves, gloves, snow boots and other winter paraphernalia handy and make sure you protect yourself from frost though the average frost-free period in Kiev is 180 days and this sometimes extends to even 200 days. You will enjoy snow from mid-November to the very end of March.
Come April and May and things start warming up. The evenings get warm enough for you to shed every piece of your winter clothing and enjoy a good stroll in the park. Since the warm sunshine is welcome after a dreary and cold winter, you will see a lot of people in the streets just enjoying the warmth and whiling away time.
Then, comes the time for the showers. The denizens of Kiev love the rains and if you are going to be in Kiev during the months of June and July, make sure you carry an umbrella everywhere you go. Daily rains are a characteristic of late fall. The mean annual precipitation in Kiev is 25 inches (635 mm) and the months of June and July experience the heaviest rainfalls of the season. The average temperature in July is about 68 °F (20 °C) so carrying a light sweater in the evenings or for those late nights out may not be a bad idea if you are from a warmer place as you may find the slight chill in the air a little uncomfortable.
The months of September and October start preparing one for the harsh winters to follow and you will find a lot of people rushing into stores to be the first ones to stock up on their winter clothes and await the snow falls of November.