Much of eastern Europe has a humid continental climate with warm to hot summers, cold winters, and fairly even precipitation through the year.

Main climate type

• Eastern and central-eastern Europe are largely classified as continental or humid continental, meaning large temperature differences between seasons and four distinct seasons.

• Winters are typically long, cold, and often snowy, while summers are warm to hot and can be humid, especially inland away from the sea.

Temperature and precipitation

• Winter temperatures often fall below freezing for extended periods, especially further north and inland, with severe cold spells possible in some areas.

• Precipitation is generally moderate and spread across the year, with more rain and thunderstorms in summer and more snow in winter, particularly in interior and higher-elevation regions.

Regional variations

• Coastal areas along the Baltic and Black Seas tend to have slightly milder winters and cooler summers because of maritime influence.

• Moving inland toward plains and mountain ranges (such as the Carpathians) brings more extreme winters, hotter summers, and greater snowfall in mountainous zones.