We all know that Russia's cold, but how cold does it really get and
how to survive in Russian cold is a question that many ask. I am
sure these questions were popular among Napoleons and Hitler's
soldiers who had to spend months in Russian cold.
Russia is the coldest country in the face of our planet. There is a
scientific measure for cold per day per person and it turns out
that a typical Russian gets about -14 degrees Celsius of cold per
day per person. The closest rival is Canada with its -11
degrees.
14 does not sounds too bad, but consider this: summers in Russia
are very hot which skews the stats. I grew up in a small town in
Siberia and -30C was nothing extraordinary. By the way, in this
cold, your voice starts to sound different. It becomes crispy!
Water freezes momentarily. If you spill some water from a second
floor it will freeze before it touches the ground.
Russia gets colder and colder as you travel eastwards. How do
Russians survive this weather? Well, there is a reason why Russians
drink hot tea, vodka, wear strange fur hats and shoes with fur.
Also, they try not to be outside when it is cold. They build double
layer windows in their homes and install warm heaters. They put
special oil in their cars and store them in warm garages. They go
through many more challenges to survive in harshest winters and to
make most of them.
Russians say that Russia can not be invaded. All that Russians need
to do in case of invasion is fight until winter and than the cold
destroys its enemies. History has proved this logic twice. If you
decide to travel to Russia in winter make sure you have warm hosts
and friends who will ensure that you are insulated of cold to the
best degree possible.
S. Shirokov