Saint Petersburg features a humid continental climate with long, cold, snowy winters and short, mild to warm summers. The city experiences dramatic shifts in daylight, high humidity, and frequent rainfall. Its proximity to the Baltic Sea moderates temperature extremes, but weather can be highly variable, making Saint Petersburg a city of striking seasonal contrasts.
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
Saint Petersburg’s climate is shaped by its northern latitude and proximity to the Baltic Sea. Winters (November–March) are long, cold, and snowy, with average highs from –2°C to –5°C and lows often below –7°C. Snowfall is frequent and persistent, with snow cover lasting from late October or early November until late March or early April. The city receives about 123 cm of snow annually, and extreme cold snaps can push temperatures below –20°C, though the Baltic Sea keeps winters milder than in much of Russia. Daylight is scarce in winter, with December seeing less than five hours per day and only about 20–30 hours of sunshine for the entire month. High humidity and wind can make the cold feel even sharper.
Summers (June–August) are short, mild to warm, and humid. Average highs reach 20–23°C in July, the warmest month, but hot days above 30°C are rare. Rainfall is moderate but most frequent in July and August, with each month receiving around 80–100 mm of rain. The city is famous for its 'White Nights' from late May to mid-July, when the sun barely sets and daylight can last up to 19 hours. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are brief and variable, with rapidly changing weather, frequent rain, and cool temperatures. Annual precipitation averages 600–700 mm, and the city is cloudy much of the year, with only about 1,600 hours of sunshine annually. The Baltic Sea remains cold year-round, rarely exceeding 16°C even in summer, and can sometimes freeze in winter.
Saint Petersburg’s climate is also marked by high humidity (averaging 78–85%), frequent overcast days, and occasional flooding due to storms and high tides. The weather can change quickly, so visitors should always be prepared for rain, wind, and cool temperatures, regardless of the season.
| Average climate data for Saint Petersburg, Russia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average maximum temperature (°C) | -3 | -3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 15 | 9 | 2 | -1 | 23 |
| Average minimum temperature (°C) | -8 | -8 | -4 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 4 | -2 | -6 | -8 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 44 | 33 | 37 | 31 | 46 | 71 | 80 | 83 | 64 | 68 | 55 | 50 | 662 |
| Average rainfall days (days) | 9 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 173 |
| Average snowfall days (days) | 17 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 75 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 86 | 83 | 80 | 69 | 66 | 69 | 71 | 76 | 80 | 83 | 86 | 88 | 78 |
| Average water temperature (°C) | -0 | -0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Average daily daylight hours (h) | 6 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine hours (h) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Average UV index | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
The best time to visit Saint Petersburg is from late May to early August, when temperatures are mild (15–23°C), daylight is at its longest, and the city celebrates the White Nights. This period offers ideal conditions for sightseeing, river cruises, and festivals, though rain and crowds are common – book accommodations in advance.
The least favourable time to visit is from November to March, when Saint Petersburg is coldest, daylight hours are shortest, and snow, slush, and high humidity are frequent. While winter brings beautiful snowy scenes and festive lights, outdoor activities can be challenging due to the cold, wind, and limited sunshine.
Saint Petersburg has a humid continental climate with long, cold, snowy winters and short, mild to warm summers. Rain and clouds are frequent, and daylight varies dramatically by season.
Winter temperatures average –2 to –7°C, but cold snaps can drop below –20°C. Snow cover is persistent from November to March, and high humidity and wind make the cold feel sharper.
Summer temperatures are mild to warm, with highs of 20–23°C in July. Hot days above 30°C are rare, and nights remain cool. Rainfall is frequent, especially in July and August.
The White Nights occur from late May to mid-July, when the sun barely sets and daylight lasts up to 19 hours. This unique phenomenon brings festivals, late-night events, and vibrant city life.
Yes. The city receives about 600–700 mm of precipitation annually, with frequent rain in summer and heavy snow in winter. There are over 170 rainy days and 120 snowy days per year on average.
Yes, Saint Petersburg is one of Europe’s cloudiest cities, with only about 1,600 hours of sunshine annually. Winters are especially dark, with as little as 20–30 hours of sunshine in December.
Pack warm, waterproof layers and insulated boots for winter. In summer, bring light clothes, sun protection, and an umbrella. Waterproof shoes are useful year-round due to frequent rain and slush.
The warmest month, with the highest average maximum temperature, is July (22.9 °C). The month with the lowest average maximum temperature is January (-3 °C). Overall, the average maximum temperature over the whole year is 9.1 °C.
The month with the highest average minimum temperature is July (15 °C). The coldest month, with the lowest average minimum temperature, is February (-8.4 °C). Overall, the average minimum temperature over the whole year is 2.8 °C.
The month with the highest average water temperature is July (19 °C). The month with the lowest average water temperature is February (-0.3 °C). Overall, the average water temperature over the whole year is 7.2 °C.
The wettest month, with the highest amount of precipitation, is August (83.2 mm). The driest month, with the least amount of precipitation, is April (30.8 mm). Over the whole year there are 661.8 mm of rainfall on average.
The month with the most days of rain is September (20 days). The month with the fewest days of rain is February (7.1 days). Over the whole year there are 173 days of rain on average.
The month with the most days of snowfall is February (17.1 days). The months with the fewest days of snowfall are May and June (0 days). Over the whole year there are 75.5 days of snowfall on average.
The month with the highest average relative humidity is December (87.8 %). The month with the lowest average relative humidity is May (65.7 %). The overall average relative humidity over the whole year is 78 %.
The month with the longest days, so the most daylight, is June (Average daylight: 18.1 h). The month with the shortest days, so the least daylight, is December (Average daylight: 6 h). Over the whole year there are 11.9 h of daylight per day on average.
The month with the most sunshine per day is June (Average sunshine: 9 h). The month with the least sunshine per day is December (Average sunshine: 0 h). Over the whole year there are 4 h of sunlight per day on average.
The months with the highest average UV index are June and July (UV index: 5). The months with the lowest average UV index are January, November and December (UV index: 0). Over the whole year the average UV index is 2.2.
