The GUM ice rink in Moscow has opted not to operate on Christmas, January 7, and January 8 because of the extreme cold. This decision affects the local skating area and its visitors.
A message from the rink reads, “Due to the low temperatures, the skating rink will not be operating on January 7 and 8. Thank you for your understanding.”
Earlier, Roman Vilfand, who serves as the scientific director of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, indicated that the European part of Russia would experience a cold spell. He warned that residents in the Urals would confront severe frosts, with temperatures plunging to as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. The forecast also suggested that Moscow and the southern regions would see colder conditions in the days ahead.
Additionally, Alina Kotilevskaya, a leading specialist at the Phobos air center, projected frosts reaching minus 27 degrees Celsius during the nights of January 7 through January 9 in Moscow. She noted that the temperature decline would begin on the afternoon of January 5, signaling a significant shift in the city’s weather pattern.
Meteorologists expect the capital to stay protected from the cold through January 10. The forecast calls for daytime temperatures around minus 20 degrees Celsius on January 6, dipping further to the range of minus 18 to minus 20 degrees Celsius from January 7 to January 9. Although a slight warming may be possible afterward, the overall trend points toward continued frigid conditions, with a return to cooler afternoons on January 10. This sequence of frosty days has prompted closures and caution for outdoor activities, and officials urge residents to take appropriate precautions against the harsh cold, especially during dawn and dusk hours when temperatures can dip most dramatically. The situation remains closely watched by weather services and city authorities, who continually update residents with practical guidance for staying safe and warm during the cold spell. In Canada and the United States, readers can anticipate similar reports highlighting how extreme subfreezing conditions affect public spaces, travel, and daily routines, underscoring the shared reality of severe winter weather across North America.