Moscow and its surrounding area are experiencing a heat wave since the beginning of the week, with temperatures in the Russian capital reaching an unprecedented high for early July in over a century. On Wednesday, the temperature in Moscow hit 32.5 degrees Celsius, exceeding the previous record of 32.2 degrees set on July 3, 1917, according to Roman Vilfand, the scientific director of the Russian meteorological center, as reported by Interfax.
The official confirmed that the daily record was also surpassed on Tuesday, which was recorded at 32 degrees Celsius in 1890. Residents of Moscow, many of whom usually head to the countryside during this season, are trying to escape the heat by heading to the city's parks and fountains, while others are defying the ban on swimming in the canals and local water bodies.
The Russian meteorological center forecasts that temperatures will continue to rise unusually until Friday, stating they are "7 degrees or more above normal." The heat wave is affecting the Greater Moscow area within a radius of up to 200 kilometers around the capital, as well as southern regions like Kursk, Belgorod, and Voronezh.
Scientists indicate that repeated heat waves are a sign of global warming and are expected to become longer and more frequent.
