Russia swelters in heat wave, Moscow breaks 1917 record for early July

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russians were braving some of the hottest weather seen in more than a century on Thursday with Moscow breaking a 1917 record and cities across the world's biggest country sizzling in temperatures well above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

In Moscow, where temperatures can fall to minus 40 degrees Celsius in the legendary Russian winter, the mercury rose to 32.7 degrees Celsius on July 3, breaking the 1917 record for that day by half a degree, the FOBOS weather centre said.

Records were broken from Russia's Pacific coast and the wilds of Siberia to the European parts of Russia, FOBOS said.

The hot weather triggered soaring demand for air conditioners and fans, while Muscovites guzzled record amounts of ice creams and downed cold beverages. Water was handed out to passengers in the metro and on many trains.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin urged the residents of the Moscow metropolitan area, which has a population of well above 20 million, to take precautions and avoid going outside at the hottest times of the day.

"During the day, the air temperature will exceed the climatic norm and rise above 30 degrees again," Sobyanin said.

He said thunderstorms were forecast for Friday and there was a possibility of hail.

(This story has been corrected to rectify the name of weather centre to FOBOS, not FOBUS, in paragraphs 2 and 3)

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Anil D'Silva)