Saint Petersburg experiences a humid continental climate of the cool summer subtype, due to the distinct moderating influence of the Baltic Sea cyclones, with warm, humid and short summers and long, cold winters.
The average daily temperature in July is 22 �C (72 �F), while the record temperature is about 37 �C (99 �F); which occurred during the 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat wave. The winter minimum is about −35 �C (−31 �F), while the record low temperature is −35.9 �C (−33 �F), recorded in 1883. The average annual temperature is +5.4 �C (42 �F). The River Neva within the city limits usually freezes up in November�December and break-up occurs in April. From December to March there are 123 days average with snow cover, which reaches the average of 24 cm (9 in) by February. The frost-free period in the city lasts on average for about 135 days. The city has a climate slightly warmer than its suburbs. Weather conditions are quite variable all year round.
Summer
Saint Petersburg's White Nights, which run from the end of May through to mid-July, are legendary. In the seemingly endless twilight, when the sun dips below the horizon for little more than an hour just after midnight, the city has an unforgettable, dream-like beauty that is truly breathtaking. The lack of darkness effects the very fabric of life in the city, and the whole town seems to be taking part in a two-month round-the-clock celebration. The streets are alive with people right through till morning, a motley flotilla of boats cruises the rivers and canals non-stop, and the city's nightlife is at its most active and exuberant, with a number of festivals and events.
Winter
If you want to understand Saint-Petersburg properly, you should visit in winter. Yes, it's cold and dark, but it's also wonderfully atmospheric, and the city never looks more beautiful than when the sun finally rises on streets covered in fresh snow. The cultural life of the city is also going at full pace, with plenty of premieres and parties to fill the long dark evenings, except over the extended winter break at the beginning of January.
Autumn
Autumn is short in Saint Petersburg, with weather that anyone but the natives would consider wintry coming in by the middle of October. After the excesses of the summer months, the season sees the city getting back to work and preparing for the long winter ahead. However, September itself is a wonderful time to visit Saint-Petersburg, with the glorious autumnal colors in the parks and gardens highlighting the city's melancholy beauty. It's also the start of the city's cultural season after the August hiatus and, although there's less excitement than surrounds the big summer festivals, a number of important premiers and openings guaranteed.
Spring
Spring comes to Saint Petersburg at the very end of March, and can be one of the best times of year for sightseeing and culture, before the tourist rush of the summer. The city comes alive fast after the long winter and, despite the residual cold, the inhabitants tend to be in celebratory mood. The sight of the ice from Lake Ladoga flowing down the city's waterways out into the Gulf of Finland is quite spectacular.
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