---
title: "\"First Snow\" in Kyiv and Snowfall by the End of the Week: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Explains What November Will Really Bring"
description: "Social media reports claim \"first snow\" in Kyiv and snowfall by the end of the week, but the Hydrometeorological Center clarified that fronts on November 4–6 will bring mostly rain, mixed with sleet in places, while a lasting cold snap and snow cover on the plains are not expected yet."
date: 2026-10-28T18:53:50.682Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/first-snow-in-kyiv-ukrainian-hydrometeorological-center-november-weather
tags: [weather-ukraine, first-snow, kyiv, hydroprometcenter, november-forecast, autumn-2026]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "First Snow" in Kyiv and Snowfall by the End of the Week: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center Explains What November Will Really Bring

![Woman with an umbrella walking on a wet pavement during autumn snowfall in Kyiv](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/pervyy-sneg-v-kieve-ugmc-obyasnilo-chto-budet-v-noyabre/pervyy-sneg-v-kieve-ugmc-obyasnilo-chto-budet-v-noyabre-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Long-term forecasts exceeding five days are revised every 6–12 hours and have low reliability
- Atmospheric fronts on November 4–6 will bring mostly rain, occasionally mixed with sleet, rather than a classic snowfall
- Nighttime temperatures starting November 3 will drop to 0…+6 °C (up to +10 °C in the south and east), with daytime temperatures falling by 3–4 degrees
- In flatland areas without frost, a stable snow cover will not form; snow is already falling in the Carpathians
- Motorists are advised to plan changing to winter tires now

Reports claiming that "first snow" has already fallen in Kyiv and that a full-scale snowfall is expected across Ukraine by the end of next week have been actively spreading in social media and messengers. However, according to Natalia Ptukha, Head of Media Relations at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, the actual synoptic situation these days may differ significantly from what long-term forecasts show. In a blitz interview with RBC-Ukraine, the expert emphasized that any forecasts extending beyond five days are revised daily or even every 6–12 hours, and their reliability decreases the further into the future they look.

### Why "Snowfall by Friday" Is Currently Nothing More Than a Trend

Ptukha acknowledged that certain tendencies toward the first snow in November are indeed visible across Ukraine. Early November and the month as a whole are typical for the emergence of winter weather phenomena. Nevertheless, the atmospheric fronts arriving in the country on November 4–6 will bring predominantly rains, which may occasionally mix with sleet. "This is by no means a classic snowfall, absolutely not, because temperature indicators will still remain above zero," the forecaster specified. For precipitation in the form of sleet to reach the surface, the temperature at a certain altitude must drop to approximately zero; if it is even one degree higher, this narrow temperature interval prevents snowflakes from surviving down to the ground.

### What Temperatures the Thermometer Will Show in Early November

Starting around November 3, nighttime temperatures in most regions will range from 0 to +6 °C, and in the south and east of Ukraine up to +10 °C. For comparison: Kyiv currently holds at +10…+11 °C, and a drop to +7…+8 °C will be noticeable, albeit smooth. Daytime temperatures, according to Ptukha's estimates, may drop by literally 3–4 degrees, since nighttime figures will still remain in positive territory. No sharp cold snap is expected over the next week: both late October and early November are characterized by a gradual, "very smooth" temperature decrease. An exception is the high-altitude Carpathians, where sub-zero values and snow or sleet precipitation are already being recorded.

### What This Means for Drivers and Residents of Flatland Areas

The forecaster directly recommended that motorists start thinking about changing their car tires now, as prerequisites for mixed-phase precipitation are gradually emerging. At the same time, there is no talk of any stable snow cover in flatland areas yet: without frost, snow, even if it falls, will not linger. Overall in November, forecasts will increasingly feature rain, locally with sleet (indicated by a snowflake icon in the meteorological service), but specific figures and dates can only be reliably named within a three-to-five-day horizon. "What lies further ahead is based on calculations today, but then the atmosphere changes, new calculations take place, and by that date the forecast could be radically different. That happens too. Therefore, we never speak in advance for more than five days," Ptukha summarized.

### How to Read Long-Term Forecasts: A Methodological Caveat

The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center specialist drew attention to an important methodological nuance: long-term models often cited in social media and weather aggregators are built on averaged calculations and do not reflect the specific trajectory of atmospheric fronts. That is exactly why the "picture" of a snowfall currently visible on the chart for October 30–31 could turn into regular rain or disappear entirely in two or three days. Ptukha urged people to focus on operational forecasts updated every few hours and not to draw far-reaching conclusions based on weekly or monthly models. For planning everyday affairs—from choosing tire types to organizing trips—it is sufficient to track the five-day horizon, which the Hydrometeorological Center considers working and reliable.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [В Украину идет похолодание с первым снегом: какой погодой начнется ноябрь](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukrayinu-yde-poholodannya-pershim-snigom-1793195216.html) - Primary source: blitz interview with N. Ptukha (Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center). All quotes, temperature ranges, and dates (November 3–6) are taken directly from the interview text.
- [Резкое похолодание идет в Украину: точная дата начала дождей](https://glavred.info/synoptic/rezkoe-poholodanie-idet-v-ukraine-tochnaya-data-nachala-dozhdey-10798133.html) - Material regarding the September cold snap (September 21–22), mentioning another forecaster (N. Didenko). Facts do not overlap with the November forecast from the main text; no discrepancies between versions were found.

## FAQ

### When will the first snow fall in Kyiv?

The Hydrometeorological Center does not name the exact date for the first snow in Kyiv. Forecaster Natalia Ptukha noted that winter weather features are typical in November, but fronts on November 4–6 will bring mostly rain, with sleet in some places. A stable snow cover on the plains will not form without frost.

### How accurate is the long-term weather forecast?

According to the Hydrometeorological Center representative, forecasts beyond five days are revised daily or even every 6–12 hours, and their reliability drops the further out the horizon is. Only three-to-five-day forecasts are considered reliable.

### Should we already change summer tires to winter tires?

Yes, Ptukha directly recommended motorists to consider getting their tires changed, as conditions for mixed-phase precipitation (rain + sleet) are appearing in early November. Nighttime temperatures from November 3 will drop to 0…+6 °C.

### Will there be a sharp cold snap in Ukraine next week?

No. The forecaster emphasized that no sharp temperature drop is expected over the next week: the process is smooth and gradual. Daytime figures may drop by 3–4 degrees, while nighttime figures will remain in positive territory (except for the high-altitude Carpathians).