The key facts

  • Swings from -15 to +5 degrees within three days have become 'everyday occurrences,' the scientist believes
  • According to some forecasts, winter in Siberia may be the warmest in the last 100 years
  • An unusually snowy winter is expected, which is already noticeable in Krasnoyarsk Krai

Swings Instead of Anomalies

The sharp temperature swings observed in Siberia over the past five years are caused by global climate change. This was stated in an interview with RIA Novosti by Vice-Rector for Advanced Projects at Siberian Federal University, climate change specialist Sergey Verkhovets. In his assessment, temperature swings in the region have occurred before, but they are now happening more and more often.

From -15 to +5 in Three Days

The scientist gave an example of the scale of the fluctuations: he called a transition from -15 to +5 degrees within three days anomalous, but stressed that within the climate changes of the past five years such jumps are 'becoming not an anomaly, but an everyday occurrence that we must adapt to.' Editorially, this means we are not talking about a one-off weather surprise, but a recurring pattern that the region, in the specialist's view, will have to adjust to.

Winter Forecast

Earlier, Verkhovets stated that an unusually warm and snowy winter is forecast for the regions of Siberia, and this is already being felt in Krasnoyarsk Krai. According to some forecasts, the coming winter may be the warmest in Siberia in the last 100 years; also expected, in his words, is 'an exceptional amount of snow.' These assessments belong to the scientist himself and are cited based on his statements; the publication contains no independent confirmation of the forecasts.