What is the Köppen climate of Moscow, Russia? Moscow has a Dfb climate, a warm-summer humid continental classification.
The Dfb code describes a climate with no pronounced dry season and warm, rather than hot, summers. Moscow’s winters are long and cold, while summer temperatures are generally moderate, with July the warmest month. Precipitation occurs throughout the year, although summer is typically wetter than late winter and early spring.
Moscow’s location deep within the Eurasian landmass gives it a strong seasonal temperature contrast. The Atlantic Ocean still provides some moderation through west-to-east air circulation, so Moscow is less severely cold than many places at a similar latitude in Siberia or eastern Canada. Urban development also makes central Moscow warmer than surrounding areas, especially at night.
A common mix-up is Dfa, which represents a hot-summer humid continental climate. Moscow’s summers generally do not meet that classification’s hotter summer threshold. Cfb is also incorrect because it describes an oceanic climate with milder winters and less continental seasonal contrast.