In Moscow, where temperatures can fall to -40°C in the legendary Russian winter, the mercury rose to 32.7°C on July 3, breaking the 1917 record for that day by 0.5°C, 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°C again,” Sobyanin said.

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