As of September 19, 2026, drawing conclusions on the past 24 hours, it can be stated that on September 18 Ukraine spent the day in warm, summery-soft weather. According to data from the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, the air warmed up to +25° in most regions, and variable cloud cover did not prevent the maintenance of a comfortable temperature background. This was a continuation of the prolonged "young Indian summer" that forecasters had been observing in the country throughout the second decade of September.
Overall picture: warm in the south and east, cooler in the west
The temperature distribution across the country was uneven. In the central, eastern and southern regions, daytime thermometer readings rose to +20…+25°, while in western Ukraine the air warmed only to +17…+19°. It was the western regions that became the main "cold" spot on the weather map: there, brief rain fell in places, while no precipitation was recorded elsewhere. The wind blew from variable directions at 3–8 m/s, which did not create a feeling of coolness and allowed people to maintain the summer rhythm of walks and outdoor leisure.
Morning fog and specifics for Kyiv
The morning part of the day deserves separate attention: in the western and Zhytomyr regions, fog stood in places, thickening over lowlands and along water bodies and dissipating with the arrival of daytime warmth. In Kyiv and the Kyiv region on September 18, variable cloud cover was observed, with no precipitation during the day, which made the day convenient for urban activity. According to the meteorological service, exactly this "dry" configuration for the capital was typical for the transitional period, when atmospheric fronts had not yet settled on a permanent basis.
Contradictory data
When comparing forecasts published during September 2026, a discrepancy in forecasters' assessments of weather dynamics is recorded. Thus, as late as September 8, a number of publications (including my.ua) reported "amazing" warmth above +25° and raised the question of how long it would last. At the same time, on September 12 the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center declared a Level I danger due to worsening weather (according to unian.net), and at the beginning of the week warned of rain and thunderstorms on Sunday (gazeta.ua). Thus, one version describes a stable Indian summer with temperatures up to +25°, while the other — an alternation of bad weather and storm warnings. Both viewpoints reflect the real instability of September: warm intervals, such as September 18, are replaced by cool rainy episodes.
How temperature is measured and why a home thermometer "lies"
Against the backdrop of a warm day, it is appropriate to recall the measurement methodology: specialists of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center measure air temperature in standard weather shelters at a height of about two meters from the surface, in the shade, which excludes direct solar heating. This is precisely why the readings of a home thermometer installed on a windowsill, in a car, or on the sunny side of a balcony may noticeably differ from official data. A difference of several degrees is a normal consequence of the difference in measurement conditions, and not an error by the forecasters.
Summary of the day
In summary: on September 18, 2026, Ukraine met a warm day with a maximum of up to +25° over most of the territory, rain and morning fog in the west and the Zhytomyr region, as well as a dry, precipitation-free day in Kyiv. The weather confirmed the mosaic character typical for the end of September: summer has not yet fully retreated, but cool western influences are already making themselves felt.
