Way to Russia Talk Lounge

katrinaMaria · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject: Winter in Siberia

Can anyone tell me what the weather is like in Siberia. I will there for Sept 2006 until June 2007. I am better off buying clothes in NYC like a coat or boots or wait until I arrive in Siberia and buy the clothes there.

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

Well from experience I can tell you that this last winter was CCCCCOLD - as in -40 at the end of January, up to -32 at lunchtimes perhaps. However, these HARD winters tend to be the exception so this coming winter should be 'ordinary' -25 to -30 maybe, it will of course depend on where you are - Siberia's a large place; I was in Novosibirsk.

You can of course buy clothes out there but they tend expensive if they are Western branded (North Face etc) or just shoddy if they are Chinese/Korean. I took everything with me for the winter and had to pay some excess baggage on the internal flights, though much less on the return - disposable clothes are GREAT.

Before the winter proper (and in the spring) it will be cold and WET - some stout footwear is advisable.
During the winter one major problem is the ice lenses that appear on the streets - if you can find some steel nets to go over your footwear then they would undoubtedly be worth taking, they were the only thing I wish I'd bought before going out to Siberia.

The temperatures should get into positive Deg C in April and summers are HOT, +45 in the Altai for instance.

Good Luck

G

katrinaMaria · Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 7:16 pm Post subject: Winer in Siberia

Thanks for the information. I will be living in Novokuznetsk. What are steel nets and wear do I buy them? Are they what track runners and soccer players have on their sneakers? Can you really tell the difference between -20 or -40. I thought it was the same difference. When it gets that cold, its just cold.

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

Novokuznetsk is AWFUL, though they did have a new shopping centre in 2004 and a new airport terminal was underway. The nets for your shoes have little steel coils wrapped around the wires, the coils are what grip the ice, the web or a mail-order firm is probably your best bet.

At -20 I could quite happily wander around all day, at -30 I occasionally need to dive into somewhere to thaw out and at -40 you are talking serious expeditioning just to cross town.

Oh and at -40 your eyelids might freeze together - I found a ski-mask came in handy.

G

katrinaMaria · Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 3:49 pm Post subject: Winter in Siberia

What do you mean by AWFUl? It's awful because of the weather or it just awful place all round. I live in NYC and many people say new york city is awful because of crime, drugs, smell and etc. Please give me honest opinion about Novokuznetsk. Is it a city or a country like suburb?

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

It's a city (though most large settlements in Russia are cities, they needn't have the range of services we westerners associate with cities) and it's increasingly cosmopolitan - there's even limousine hire available nowadys. BUT it is essentially a coal mining settlement with all the associated grime etc, though if you live in New York then it might be a welcome change to you. It's two years since I was in NOZ and perhaps I'm being too harsh on the place. There is one tourist attraction (the fort) and if you can get out to the satellite town of Myski then it's more attractive. I kept a diary throughout the year - PM me your email if you'd like to read about the -40 events in January and how I survived.

G

superfly · Just Starting Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Posts: 6

I was in Omsk during the cold snap in January. I think the day I arrived it was -45c.

In that type of weather, having good boots with some thinsulate is very nice. I noticed that my boots where much thinner than those the Russians around me wore, but my feet were always toasty warm with 1200grams of thinsulate. I know one friend of mine there didn't believe my boots kept me warm.
A good set of gloves, hat, and scarf are a must. Of course a good jacket that can keep you warm, along with a sweater, and t shirt helps. I did not bother with thermal underwear. The biggest thing for me was my face was constantly frozen. I got used to it but if the wind was blowing it was down right terrible. Get a thick scarf that can be pulled up to cover your face.

In my shopping I did not notice many decent choices for boots at the many stores I visited. I see a better selection here in the southern US at a sports store like Gander Mountain than I did in the entire city of Omsk. Maybe I didn't look in the right places while I was there. The prices for good clothing were more expensive as well.

Rick · Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:02 pm Post subject:

Still.. I would wear something under my trousers when temperatures drop this far. You can buy shoes ithere as well, it's not expensive.
Bring a pair of sunglasses too Smile

In daytime the winter weather can be bright, with clear skies and almost no wind.