After the warmth of autumn, the first breath of winter: Ukraine is experiencing a sharp cold snap with rain and sleet
17 October 2025 21:42
Starting Friday, October 18, a powerful cyclone from the northwest will come to Ukraine, bringing a drop in temperature, strong winds and rains, and in some places the first wet snow.
This was reported by a well-known weather forecaster Natalia Didenko, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
What weather is expected on October 18
Rains will cover almost the entire territory of Ukraine, except for Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk and Dnipro regions.
In thewest, the temperature will drop to 8…12 °C in the afternoon, with strong winds in some places.
In the rest of the country, the weather will remain relatively warm – 12…15 °C.
At night, it is expected to be 4…10 °C, without frost, except in the highlands of the Carpathians.
On October 18, it will be cloudy and humid inKyiv, with rain in the afternoon. The air temperature will remain comfortable, the wind will be moderate, sometimes gusty.
What will happen next: october 19-20
On Sunday, October 19, a real cold snap will break into Ukraine:
- In most regions, temperatures will drop to 4…8 °C during the day.
- In the east and south, it will remain up to 11…15 °C.
- Rains will be observed throughout the country, with sleet possible in some places.
On Monday, October 20, the cold weather will continue – it is expected to be windy, humid and cool.
What weather forecasters advise
Natalia Didenko urged Ukrainians to prepare for the drop in temperature in advance:
“This upcoming cold snap is not final, as there is still half a fall before winter. However, take care of additional insulation today, especially in homes where heating is still a long way off.”
She also advised to spend the weekend in a warm place, such as a museum or at home, until the weather stabilizes.
The current cold snap will be the first serious drop in temperature after a long period of autumn heat that has been in Ukraine since early October.
Forecasters warn that this is not the beginning of winter, but a signal of the approach of unstable weather with short cold waves that will last until November.
Meteorologists expect the second half of October to be cool, with short periods of sunny weather.
The heating season in most cities may start at the end of the month if the average daily temperature drops below 8°C for several days.
