I can think of few places I’d rather NOT be stranded in during the winter than Russia.

Just thinking about the word “Siberia” makes my feet cold.

And when you look at photos of everyday Russian people, a lot of them look pretty…well, not incredibly happy all the time. And I think at least some of that has to do with the crazy and terrible weather those folks deal with year in and year out.

I don’t have any scientific data to back this up, it’s just my hunch…

Let’s take a look at photos of some wild weather that’s going on over in Russia.

1. Magical light pillars.

I’ve never seen something like that before.

Magical light pillars in Surgut, West Siberia, Russia December 19, 2019. Author – https://t.co/smnNUaf3Lh pic.twitter.com/KQ5OpmFzBE

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) January 3, 2020

2. How about some Lenticular clouds.

Look! Up in the sky!

Lenticular clouds over Northern Ural Mountains, Russia, December 1, 2019
Photos – https://t.co/kFKUx7hkrN pic.twitter.com/E0Xgk5Q5Hh

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) January 29, 2020

3. Get a load of these frost flowers.

They’re actually very beautiful.

Frost flowers appeared on frozen rivers and lakes of European Russia. Photo – https://t.co/lUMfeQHIss pic.twitter.com/zV9IKVBh9c

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) November 18, 2020

4. The geometry of frost.

That looks like plastic. Doesn’t look real.

Frost flowers geometry, December 13, Sarov/Russia. pic.twitter.com/XeA0TD3cLc

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) December 13, 2020

5. A complex sun halo.

Cool! I need to read up on these!

Rare complex sun halo over Pangody, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Siberia, Russia, october 7.
1th photo – https://t.co/g05dLNp144
2nd – https://t.co/TUldJM8RRE pic.twitter.com/mETvU9ZzAd

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) October 8, 2020

6. They have volcanoes in Russia?

I had no idea!

Volcano #Klyuchevskoi eruption on Kamchatka in clear night, november 2020. Photo – https://t.co/EBxCpFW07y pic.twitter.com/iACUo4h0QG

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) November 14, 2020

7. That just looks like a nightmare.

How do you even begin to get the ice off?

😲Freezing rain in Vladivostok, photos via Vkontakte. pic.twitter.com/pm4I5QWHuD

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) November 19, 2020

8. Beautiful light pillars.

I wonder what causes these?

Light pillars in Tyumen, Siberia, Russia, Dec 1. Photos – https://t.co/rp41XVvKmc pic.twitter.com/pMrfpCiCQl

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) December 3, 2020

9. That’s pretty scary!

I’ve heard this happens from time to time.

Plane hit by lightning in Moscow oblast, Russia today.
Photo – https://t.co/mkB8le0hVp pic.twitter.com/kYTc2uTjv0

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) May 4, 2020

10. Looks like something you might see in the Midwest.

There’s a twister coming!

Shelf cloud in Vidnoe, Moscow oblast few hours ago.
Photos – https://t.co/yhbDrMTNWo pic.twitter.com/D2I8q2WRJq

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) September 17, 2020

11. It’s very pretty, isn’t it?

Feels like you’re at the end of the world.

Moon and sun halo in Sangar, Yakutia, Nov 25.
Photos: https://t.co/cHpkEFVe8mhttps://t.co/7eDTv6vZMj pic.twitter.com/fhTm3O4J7U

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) November 26, 2020

12. That is stunning!

I love it!

Lenticular clouds in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, 25 Nov. Photo – https://t.co/0SJDEHjYGT pic.twitter.com/Tb7VvV8HNG

— Kirill Bakanov (@WeatherSarov1) November 25, 2020

What’s the weirdest weather you’ve ever seen before?

Talk to us in the comments.

And share some pics with us if you got ’em! Thanks!