Elista, formerly Stepnoy, is a city of 103,000 inhabitants, the capital of Kalmykia, located in southern European Russia, at 46 degrees north latitude and 270 km (165 mi) away from the coast of the Caspian Sea.
is quite scarce, amounting to less than 400 millimeters (15.5 inches) per year. Winter is the driest season, while the rainiest months are May and June, due to thunderstorms, which then gradually decrease during the rest of the summer.
, from December to February, is cold: the average temperature in January is around -4 °C (25 °F).
There are quite mild periods, when it can rain instead of snow, and colder periods, characterized by snow and frost.
, the temperature can drop to -20 °C (-4 °F) or even below. Occasionally it has also dropped below -30 °C (-22 °F). The coldest record is -34 °C (-29.2 °F), set in January 1935.
, from June to August, is hot and sunny, with some rain and thunderstorms. The average in July is around 25.5 °C (78 °F). During the day it is often very hot, although the humidity is not high and the wind often blows.
, during which the temperature can reach, and more rarely exceed, 40 °C (104 °F). The hottest record is 43.3 °C (109.9 °F), set in August 2011. In 2010, the average maximum temperature was 35.7 °C (96.3 °F) in July and 35.2 °C (95.4 °F) in August.
in all of Russia. Elista is located at an altitude of 100 to 200 meters (330 to 660 feet), which is not much, but it is enough to make the summer a little less hot than the areas further east, which are even below sea level. In the village of
, located 80 km (50 mi) to the east, 10 meters (33 ft) below sea level, the average maximum temperature in July is 33.7 °C (92.7 °F), and the record heat is 44.4 °C (111.9 °F), set in August 2011.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the coldest month of the year, is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-3.8 °C, with a minimum of
-6.4 °C and a maximum of
-1.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-18 °C. However, it dropped to
-31 °C in January 2006.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
7.5 °C. However, it reached
14.5 °C in January 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
24.5 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 5 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 25% of the time.
The average humidity is 88%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
21.5 kph.
February is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-3.4 °C, with a minimum of
-6.6 °C and a maximum of
-0.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-17.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-29.2 °C in February 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
8.5 °C. However, it reached
16 °C in February 1995.
Precipitation amounts to
21.2 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 30% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
22.8 kph.
March is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
2.7 °C, with a minimum of
-1.5 °C and a maximum of
7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-10 °C. However, it dropped to
-16.9 °C in March 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
17 °C. However, it reached
22.6 °C in March 2001.
Precipitation amounts to
33 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 74%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
24 kph.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.8 °C, with a minimum of
5.4 °C and a maximum of
16.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-7.3 °C in April 2004.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24 °C. However, it reached
29 °C in April 1998.
Precipitation amounts to
34 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 35 minutes.
There are on average 6.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 61%.
The average wind speed is of
23.3 kph.
May is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17.2 °C, with a minimum of
11.3 °C and a maximum of
23 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4 °C. However, it dropped to
0 °C in May 1999.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
30.5 °C. However, it reached
37.2 °C in May 2007.
Precipitation amounts to
45.6 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 0 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 60% of the time.
The average humidity is 55%.
The average wind speed is of
21.9 kph.
June is generally a warm month. The average temperature is of
22.5 °C, with a minimum of
16.2 °C and a maximum of
28.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
10.5 °C. However, it dropped to
4 °C in June 2003.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
35.5 °C. However, it reached
39.8 °C in June 2012.
Precipitation amounts to
44.5 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long. June 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 10 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 64% of the time.
The average humidity is 45%.
The average wind speed is of
21 kph.
July, the hottest month of the year, is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
25.6 °C, with a minimum of
19 °C and a maximum of
32.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
14 °C. However, it dropped to
9.3 °C in July 1992.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
38 °C. However, it reached
43.3 °C in July 2011.
Precipitation amounts to
34.4 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 25 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 10.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 42%.
The average wind speed is of
19.7 kph.
August is generally a warm to hot month. However, there are remarkable differences between night and day. The average temperature is of
24.6 °C, with a minimum of
17.9 °C and a maximum of
31.2 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
11.5 °C. However, it dropped to
8.5 °C in August 2002.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
37 °C. However, it reached
40.9 °C in August 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
26.5 mm, distributed over 4 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 5 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 68% of the time.
The average humidity is 41%.
The average wind speed is of
19.2 kph.
September is generally a very mild month. The average temperature is of
17.9 °C, with a minimum of
11.9 °C and a maximum of
23.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
5 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.4 °C in September 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
32 °C. However, it reached
38.7 °C in September 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
33.4 mm, distributed over 5 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 30 minutes.
There are on average 8 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 63% of the time.
The average humidity is 52%.
The average wind speed is of
20.2 kph.
October is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11 °C, with a minimum of
6.4 °C and a maximum of
15.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-7.3 °C in October 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
25 °C. However, it reached
32.7 °C in October 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
38.3 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 55 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 49% of the time.
The average humidity is 69%.
The average wind speed is of
20.4 kph.
November is generally a cold month. The average temperature is of
2.9 °C, with a minimum of
-0.2 °C and a maximum of
6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-8.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-21.2 °C in November 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16 °C. However, it reached
20.1 °C in November 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
27.8 mm, distributed over 6 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 25% of the time.
The average humidity is 83%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
20.8 kph.
December is generally a very cold month. The average temperature is of
-2.2 °C, with a minimum of
-4.9 °C and a maximum of
0.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-16 °C. However, it dropped to
-28.4 °C in December 1997.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
9 °C. However, it reached
14.5 °C in December 2010.
Precipitation amounts to
28.3 mm, distributed over 7 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 40 minutes. December 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are on average 1.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 16% of the time.
The average humidity is 89%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
21 kph.