The largest section of Russia is in the north and the climate in these regions is moderately continental. With the winds coming from the west, the central regions of Russia past the Ural Mountains and the inner parts of Siberia experience cyclones and warmer weather than the rest of the country. Still the weather conditions will have very cold winters and summers that are relatively warm. With the prevalence of continental climate in these areas, which is brought about by the absence of nearby bodies of water, fluctuations in temperature greatly vary. In some areas, the mass of warm air blowing from the Indian Ocean are blocked by the mountains while the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans influence the climate of the western and northern plains of the country, particularly the northernmost parts of Siberia and parts of Murmansk that are already inside the Arctic Circle.

The country is divided into European Russia where most of the larger populations are located. This part of Russia is where Moscow and St. Petersburg are. Here the climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and being basically surrounded by several countries, a humid continental climate prevails. This climactic condition extends to the southern part of the Russian Far East and the southern part of West Siberia.

Going nearer the North Pole, which is where most of the northern regions of Russia are located, especially the Sakha Republic, the winters are already classified as very severe, with average low temperatures recorded at -68 °C or -90.4 °F. From thereon, the areas along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, including the Artic Islands are under polar climate conditions, with some islands having tundra climate while some have extreme polar climate.

Regions in the Far East Russia and East Siberia mostly experience dry winters with precipitation coming in the form of snow, while rain may come during the summer months. Still, other parts of Russia have a semi-arid climate, particularly the areas near the southernmost part of Siberia, near the coast of the Caspian Sea and the areas along the Lower Volga near Kazakhstan. Permafrost covers the rest of Russia or about 65% of the country.

These climactic conditions make most of the country off-limits to regular tourists as the weather and the temperatures are tough even for the most-hardened residents. Most travel destinations are centered on the European side of Russia, and popular travel destinations are the populous cities of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod.

Humid continental climate is experienced in Moscow, which is a favorite tourist destination as the weather can be hot, warm and slightly humid in the summer and quite cold in the winter. Summer in the city is from the middle of May until September. June, July and August are the warmest months in Moscow where the temperature can be around 23 °C or about 72 °F. The city also experiences heat waves at times when the temperature can shoot up to over 30°C or around 86 °F. Winter lasts from November until around March, where the temperature ranges from -10 °C or 14 °F to about 0 °C or 32 °F on warmer days.

St. Petersburg is near the Baltic Sea and its climate is described as humid continental, just like Moscow although its summer months are cooler. The city is also visited by cyclones that make for short, warm and humid summers and cold, wet and long winters in the city. Weather in St. Petersburg is variable throughout the year. July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 22 °C or nearly 72 °F and can peak at 37 °C, which is about 99 °F. Snow usually covers the city from December up to March, reaching a thickness of about 24 centimeters around the second month of the year and remains frost-free 135 days in a year. The city receives an annual rainfall of about 600 millimeters or 24 inches but the evaporation level is quite low because of the cool climate prevailing in St. Petersburg. With an average of 787 air humidity, the city remains overcast at an average of 165 days each year.

The winter months may be unforgiving to travelers who are not used to very cold winters so the best time to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg will be during summer, at around June, July and August. April and May are good times to visit, too as these are not peak tourist months. Prices are lower between September and October. But of course if you want to experience something like a winter wonderland in Russia, the best time to visit will be in December. If you are planning to visit Russia during summer, do pack light and medium weight pieces of clothing to protect you from any temperature changes. And if you have decided to visit Russia in winter, do be prepared for the cold with several thick clothing that you can wear in layers. If will help to bring sturdy shoes and boots with you.