The climate of Tomsk is described as ‘continentally-cyclonic’, stressing the fact how much the local climate is dependent on the cyclones which circulate above the Western Siberian lowland.
The city is regularly visited by air from the Arctic, Atlantic and Middle Asia which can bring sudden thaws in the middle of December or unexpected frost in early June.
Seasons in Tomsk change quickly - as locals joke 'sometimes you can get through all four of them within a day'.
Winter normally lasts from late October to March. Middle to end of March is the time when the snow starts melting rapidly. Winters can be severe, with temperatures often falling to -30 or -40°C. The lowest recorded temperature was -55°C.
Despite the freezing temperatures the air can often be quite humid due to the winds.
March, April and May are all called spring months, though the warm weather usually comes back to the area mid-April, with May being quite dry, sunny and increasinly hot towards the end of the month.
Summer is three months long with daytime temperatures often reaching as high as 35°C.
Summer and autumn are the most humid seasons, with September often described as the month of Indian summer - sunny, warm and truly enjoyable, with crispy clear air and bright blue skies.