The highest temperature in 130 years of record was reached in Moscow onMonday as a brutal heat wave and drought clenched the Russian heartland.The mercury topped out at 37.5 C, or nearly 100 F, on Monday afternoon. The oldrecord had been 36.8 C, or 98 F, which was set on Aug. 7, 1920.
Already, as of Saturday afternoon, the highest July reading was reached, as thetemperature hit 36.7 C, or 98 F. This narrowly topped the old mark of 36.5 C,set on July 30, 1936.
Meanwhile, the ongoing heat wave held sway again on Tuesday as the temperaturereached about 35 C, or 95 F, in the Russian capital.
Elsewhere in Russia, temperatures on both Monday and Tuesday topped 100 degreesover a broad swath of western and southwestern Russia into neighboring easternUkraine. This vital growing area has already endured major crop losses due tothe heat and lack of summer rain.
In Moscow, this July has already been called the hottest on meteorologicalrecord, and since early June, the temperature has topped 30 C, or 86 F, on atleast 24 days as of Tuesday. Of these, no fewer than six days topped 35 C, or95 F.
Since June 21, the average temperature as of Monday was 7.2 C, or 12.9 F, abovenormal. Normal for this first five weeks of summer is 16.9 C, or 62.4 F. Thenormal high in July is about 22 C, or 72 F.
For Moscow, Wednesday and Thursday will bring more extreme heat with recordsrivaled or broken. Another 100-degree F reading could be reached before a coldfront trims the heat for the late week.
Yet, for a vast stretch of Russia farther east, there is no meaningful heatrelief in sight for at least another week.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologists Jim Andrews and KristinaPydynowski
