About Belarus

Articles dedicated to Belarus history, Belarus politics, Belarus economy, Belarus culture and other issues and Belarus tourist destinations.

Weather in Belarus

Belarus is located in mid latitudes and has a rather flat relief. The geographical location of Belarus and the air masses of the Atlantic Ocean form the moderate continental climate of the country its typical features being rainy warm summer, mild winter with frequent thaws and diverse weather in spring and autumn. 

Air temperature

The average air temperature of Belarus ranges from region to region. The average July temperature varies from +17 degrees centigrade in the north to +18.5 degrees in the south. In January the average temperature falls to -4.5 degrees centigrade in the south-west of Belarus and to -8 degrees in the north-east. In some regions of Belarus the temperature remains below zero for longer than four months.

Precipitation

The annual level of precipitation in Belarus is about 650 mm, 70 per cent of which is made up of rainfalls that occur from April till October. In the south of Belarus there are 75 snow days and in the south-west there are 125 snow days. The snow layer is 15 to 30 cm thick.

The best season to travel in Belarus

In Belarus the number of sunny days with average daily temperature above 15 degrees centigrade can reach 96 and even 114 days increasing from north-east to south-west. The average daily temperature in July is about 22-25 degrees. The average water temperature in summer exceeds 17 degrees and reaches 19-22 degrees in July. In winter the average daily temperature of -5 to -15 degrees can last from 30 days in the south-west to 60 days in the north-east.

Minsk weather

Minsk is located on the Svislotch River that flows into the Black Sea. Located in Central Belarus, the territory of the city of Minsk includes a part of the Minsk Upland and two lowlands. The highest spot in Minsk is in the west of the capital, the lowest – in the south-east. Minsk is surrounded with coniferous forests.

Minsk climate, like that of the whole of Belarus, is moderately continental. Minsk weather is influenced by Atlantic air masses and cyclones. Minsk winters are rather mild with light frosts followed by thaws. In autumn and winter the precipitation is low, but the sky is cloudy. Minsk weather is particularly cold in January and February with frosts up to -25 degrees centigrade and lower. The stable snow cover in Minsk appears in late December and lasts well until March.

Warm days with frequent but short rainfalls are typical of Minsk weather in summer. Summer heat of +30 and more is rare for Belarus and can only occur once or twice a year. The historic maximum temperature in Minsk was +35 degrees (July 1936). In spring the Minsk weather is sunny with clear visibility, although short thunders are not uncommon. Western winds and high air humidity are particularly typical of Minsk weather in autumn and winter.

The average number of clear days in Minsk is 28, the number of cloudy days is 167 and the number of partly cloudy days reaches up to 170. Two-third of the precipitation – 650 mm – occurs in summer. Fogs are typical of Minsk weather with the visibility decreasing to 1 km and lower. On average there are 67 foggy days a year and most of them occur in autumn and winter.