The sea temperature at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky today is 5.4 °C (42 °F) – only for cold-water swimmers. The usual October average is 6.1 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 10.8 °C to 5.4 °C. Rarely swimmable – the sea seldom averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.0°C / 32.0°F | 0.2°C / 32.4°F | 0.4°C / 32.6°F |
| February | -0.7°C / 30.7°F | -0.5°C / 31.1°F | -0.3°C / 31.5°F |
| March | -0.8°C / 30.6°F | -0.5°C / 31.1°F | -0.2°C / 31.6°F |
| April | 0.5°C / 32.8°F | 0.6°C / 33.1°F | 0.8°C / 33.4°F |
| May | 3.1°C / 37.6°F | 3.7°C / 38.6°F | 4.2°C / 39.5°F |
| June | 6.7°C / 44.0°F | 8.3°C / 46.9°F | 9.6°C / 49.3°F |
| July | 10.7°C / 51.3°F | 12.1°C / 53.7°F | 13.5°C / 56.3°F |
| August | 12.7°C / 54.9°F | 13.6°C / 56.5°F | 14.5°C / 58.1°F |
| September | 7.0°C / 44.6°F | 9.8°C / 49.6°F | 11.8°C / 53.2°F |
| October | 3.7°C / 38.6°F | 6.1°C / 43.1°F | 7.7°C / 45.8°F |
| November | 2.0°C / 35.6°F | 3.4°C / 38.2°F | 4.8°C / 40.7°F |
| December | 1.1°C / 34.0°F | 1.6°C / 34.9°F | 2.0°C / 35.6°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -8.7°C / 16.3°F | -7.9°C / 17.8°F | -6.5°C / 20.3°F |
| February | -8.1°C / 17.4°F | -6.9°C / 19.6°F | -5.2°C / 22.6°F |
| March | -4.9°C / 23.2°F | -3.5°C / 25.7°F | -1.8°C / 28.8°F |
| April | -0.6°C / 30.9°F | 0.7°C / 33.3°F | 2.3°C / 36.1°F |
| May | 2.5°C / 36.4°F | 3.8°C / 38.8°F | 5.0°C / 41.0°F |
| June | 7.9°C / 46.2°F | 9.4°C / 48.8°F | 10.6°C / 51.0°F |
| July | 12.0°C / 53.6°F | 13.4°C / 56.0°F | 14.7°C / 58.4°F |
| August | 12.5°C / 54.6°F | 14.1°C / 57.4°F | 15.7°C / 60.2°F |
| September | 8.8°C / 47.9°F | 10.5°C / 50.8°F | 12.5°C / 54.4°F |
| October | 3.4°C / 38.1°F | 4.7°C / 40.4°F | 6.4°C / 43.6°F |
| November | -1.6°C / 29.2°F | -0.8°C / 30.6°F | 0.6°C / 33.0°F |
| December | -5.1°C / 22.9°F | -4.5°C / 23.9°F | -3.4°C / 25.8°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky holidays
Behind Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the capital of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the snow-capped cones of the Koryaksky and Avachinsky volcanoes rise above Avacha Bay and a port facing the Pacific. Founded in 1740 during Vitus Bering's expedition and named after its two ships, the St Peter and the St Paul, the city has no road link to the rest of Russia and is reached by air or sea.
Beaches
Khalaktyrsky Beach, about 30 minutes' drive from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, is a long stretch of black volcanic sand on the open Pacific, with views of the volcanoes. The water stays cold even in summer, and big waves, rip currents and a steep shore make swimming risky, so most people come to walk, picnic or surf in wetsuits with local surf schools. Avacha Bay, on which the city stands, is a working harbour rather than a bathing spot. The sea temperature on this page is measured in Avacha Bay, off the city centre.
Things to do
Boat trips from the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky leave Avacha Bay past the Three Brothers rocks at its entrance to watch sea otters, seals, puffins and sometimes whales. When access is permitted and conditions allow, guided ascents of Avachinsky volcano are full-day trips in summer (check current official restrictions), and Mutnovsky volcano to the south has fumaroles and a crater glacier. Paratunka, about an hour from the city, is a valley of hot-spring pools, and helicopter tours fly to the Valley of Geysers in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve when weather allows. In the city, a regional museum covers the peninsula's volcanoes, wildlife and Indigenous peoples such as the Itelmen and Koryak. Book guides and permits in advance.
Weather and best time to visit
The sea at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky warms fastest from May to June, by about 5 °C (8 °F) in one month.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the nearby Pacific coast have a cool, ocean-influenced climate. Summers are short and mild, from about July to September, with frequent fog and rain, and winters are long, snowy and stormy, with deep snow for skiing and heli-skiing into spring. Weather changes fast in the mountains, so volcano trips can be postponed.
Hotels and where to stay
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has a small choice of city hotels and guesthouses, and several hot-spring lodges and holiday bases lie in the Paratunka valley. Places are limited in the short summer season, so book early.
Signature hotels: Dolce Vita (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky)
Airport and getting there
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport (PKC) is in Yelizovo, about 30 km north-west of the city, roughly 40 minutes by car. Flights come from Moscow, a trip of about eight to nine hours, and from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and other cities in the Russian Far East. Check your government's latest travel advice for Russia, along with visa rules and payment options, before planning a trip.